You Can't See The REAL Me
by AnimeJunkieGrrl
Summary: John Cena has a problem… the dude can't dance. And for a rapper, that's BAD! So what happens when a hip-hop teacher dances into his life? Read on and find out. John CenaXOC This is a REVAMP of my original story. :)
1. All Choked Up

**YOU CAN'T SEE THE REAL ME**

John Cena has a problem… the dude can't dance. And for a rapper, that's BAD! So what happens when a hip-hop teacher dances into his life? Read on and find out.

A/N: Okay, I'm redoing this fic. I came back off of a hiatus from watching WWE and, you guessed it… it was John Cena that got me back into it. Damn his fineness! Anyway, I'm totally revamping this story… mainly because a lot of the superstars have changed (either, left, retired, released, etc.) and I have to replace names and junk. Hope you guys like it.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own a DAMN thing related to the WWE or anything else famous, which sucks, so don't even think about suing. All I own are the main character and any other unfamiliar characters and places in this story. Now, ON WITH THE STORY!

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Man! Here I am, 32 years old and WALKING to my job on a Friday morning. I mean, how sad is that? I guess I should be happy that I don't live that far. It ain't that I don't like my job; I do. I teach dance at the local studio to anyone who wants to learn. Like I said before, I LOVE my job and it pays very well, but my boss, that's a whole 'nother story. I know, what else is new right? Everyone has something about their boss they can't stand; me… *sings* I hate EVERYTHING about mine. He gets on my case like it's going out of style and since I need this job, I can't say anything back at him. So how do I take out my frustration? I'll let you know soon, but right now...it's on with the daily grind-so to speak.

* * *

The young woman walks into the M.K. Banks Dance Studio (A/N: Made it up.) hoping against hope her boss was run over by a bus or attacked by vicious dogs. Her hopes were dashed to tiny bits when she heard the one voice over the intercom she never wanted to hear at all.

_**"GWEN! MY OFFICE! NOW!"**_ Screamed her boss at the top of his lungs.

"Oh, joy! I get to have a meeting with the Spawn of Satan." The young woman grumbled sarcastically to herself as she slowly walked what she called "The Brown Mile" after one of her favorite movies. After five minutes of slow walking, Gwen reaches the solid oak door that leads to the office of the quote unquote 'EVIL INCARNATE' boss. She knocks on the door dreading what was about to be said next.

"Enter." Spoke her boss from the opposite side of the door. Gwen, albeit hesitant, slowly opens the door and walks inside, closing it behind her.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Hardmon?" She asked carefully.

"Yes. I wanted to ask you something." He said as he rummaged through his desk drawer. "Do you watch wrestling?" He asked looking at the woman with scrutinizing eyes.

"A little. Why do you ask?" _"Okay, just where are you going with this?"_ She thought to herself.

"Well, my brother sent me these tickets to something called RAW and I despise wrestling. So, I was wondering if you would like them since you hardly take any time off."

Gwen couldn't help but blink. She'd never known her boss to be generous with anything… except pink slips so to have him offer her something that was actually good was a complete shock to her. Without another thought, she decided to accept. Like the old saying goes, "Mama didn't raise no fool."

"Uh, sure. I'll take them." She told him quickly. _"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Mr. Hardmon?"_ She thought to herself since it wasn't in his nature to be so...giving._ "Actually, I doubt the man knows what the word 'nice' means."_

"The tickets are for this coming Monday at 7 p.m. That's all I need you for; you can go now." With that, Mr. Hardmon went back to doing what he did best… figuring out how to make his employees' lives a living Hell. Gwen, who was still stunned at her boss' generosity, finally snapped out of it and nodded.

"Yes, sir. And thanks." She quickly said to him before bolting out of his office.

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

"Free at last, free at last! I am SO glad to be out of there! He makes going to the principal's office seem like a picnic!" So, I look down at my hands and I see the RAW tickets. "Okay, did I just enter the Twilight Zone? Did my boss just GIVE me something?!" Hey, can you blame me? Anyway, I like wrestling. But that's not really the point. The fact remains that there was NO WAY IN Hell I was gonna pass up a chance to get something from my boss for free that wasn't used or already expired.

I walked through the hallway to my classroom to finally begin the first of my classes-Hip Hop Basics; my advanced class wasn't until that afternoon. What I love most about my job is teaching kids. Well, there's that and the fact that I LOVE to dance. Put on some music and I'm gone. What most people don't know about me is that there is a deeper reason why I dance, but that'll be explained later. Right now, I can't get my mind off of the tickets. Maybe something mind-blowing will happen to me come Monday. Who knows?

Later that day…

After a long day of dance classes, Gwen walked out of the studio and back to her apartment which was only a few blocks away. She opened her door and walked inside. It was a modest apartment and it suited her needs just fine. Despite her love of teaching dance, she was happy to be home and someone was also happy she returned. The second she threw her purse onto the couch, a small bark was heard coming from behind it.

"Awww, did you miss mama?" She cooed. "Come here."

A small Yorkshire Terrier bounced over and yipped up at his master happily.

"Good boy. You're always happy to see me, huh?"

(A/N: I'll post a link to the pic of Gwen's dog in my profile.)

Her little dog just licked her face in response and managed to get a giggle out of the young lady.

"Hey, I have something to show you." Still holding her dog, Gwen put down her dance bag and picked up her purse. "Okay, now I'm gonna have to put you down for a second, Thunder." Gwen, with both hands free, opened up her purse and began her daily scavenger hunt for the tickets.

"Gotcha!" Gwen scanned the front of the tickets in question when she noticed where she'd be sitting. "Front row? Nice! And I know just the person to take with me." The young dancer went back into her packrat's paradise called her purse and felt around for her cell phone. Once she found it, she dialed her best friend's number. "I just hope Dee-Lo's home."

**DEE-LO'S P.O.V.**

I was just kissing my man before he left my place when my cell rang. The ringtone was "Run the World" by Beyonce' so I started shakin' my groove thang before I realized that I needed to answer my damn phone before whoever called me hung up.

"House of Beauty, This is Cutie." I answered in my usual way. When I heard "oh, brother", I rolled my eyes because I knew exactly who it was. Girl never could appreciate my phone swagger.

_"Hey, Dee-Lo. Whassup?"_ I heard her ask. She and I have been best friends since first grade so I can always tell when something was going on with her.

_"The sky, duh!"_ I thought to myself, trying to be smart. "How the Hell should I know, girl? You tell me." I said back to her giggling.

_"What would you say to going to RAW with me this Monday?"_

Is she serious? She knows how big a wrestling freak I am! She better not be playin' me!

"I'd say the day you got tickets to go would be the day I do the funky chicken stark fuckin' naked in front of that studio you work at." I said back.

_"You know you'd do that ANYWAY. But for real, I got two tickets for this coming Monday. And I was gonna ask you if you wanted the extra one, but since you wanna act like that, I'll just call someone..."_ I heard her say.

_"You finish that sentence and I'll come over there and give you a whole new meaning of SMACKDOWN!"_ I yell in my head. "GIRL, DON'T PLAY! YOU KNOW how bad I wanna go!" I practically shouted.

_"I know! I just wanted to make ya sweat a little. So, you in or what?"_ She stupidly asked me.

"Try and stop me! I'll be at your place Saturday!" I practically screamed.

_"Why so early? RAW is on Monday!"_

"You forgot where we live, didn't ya?" I think she did because we live in a little no-name city where cool shit like this NEVER happens! If we want fun, we'd have to go out of town… which reminds me… "Hey, which city is this gonna be because you know it ain't gonna be here."

_"Man, I didn't even think of that! Hang on!"_

I just shook my head. I swear, this girl can be so… out to lunch! I mean, HOW can you get tickets and not know where the event's gonna be!? She worries me. After a few seconds of hearing little Thunder barking in the background, Gwen comes back.

_"It's in Memphis."_

"And it's on Monday… girl, it's a LIVE show!" I screamed.

_"And… that changes things… how?"_

Okay, I need to school this bitch on the WWE. Out of the two of us, I'm the go to gall when it comes to this stuff.

"Forgive her, Father. She is totally clueless!" I say as I look up. "It means, we could be on TV! Now, I want you to look at the tickets. Where are we sitting? And before you ask, yes, this is important, too!"

I hear my girl mock me and I just chuckle. It only took her a second to say the two words that would send me into a screaming fit.

_"Front row."_

**"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"** Yeah, baby! I'm a screamer! After telling some concerned bystanders that I hadn't lost my mind… completely… I calm down enough to talk to my girl again. "Okay, see THIS is why I said Saturday! We need to make signs, shirts, all sorts of crap for this show! If we're lucky, we could be on that side where the cameras always shoot! Oh, man this shit's big! I'm coming over tomorrow morning!"

_"Morning? Says the girl who usually wakes up at the crack of NOON on weekends?"_ I hear her laugh.

"This is different! I actually have a good reason!" I can't believe she'd throw that in my face. "I'm generously offering my services to you, girl! Be nice to me!"

_"Alright! I'm sorry."_ She chuckled.

"Much better. Now you just get your autograph book and camera ready." I say to her, ready to scream.

_"Fine. I'll see yo black ass Saturday."_

"You got that right! Bye, girl!" I squeal before I hang up.

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

"That girl is a mess!" I laugh as I hang up with Dee-Lo. Thunder barked in agreement. I got up off the couch and went into my small kitchen to fix myself and my dog some dinner. I put out Thunder's dog food and, I dunno why, but I was in the mood for Italian so I made spaghetti and meatballs. After I ate, I took a shower and got ready for bed. I put on my favorite red pajama bottoms and a white tank top before I climbed into bed and Thunder crawled into his little bed next to mine. Normally I'd say my prayers before I went to sleep, but it was the same prayer every night and I didn't think it would ever be answered so I stopped. I guess Thunder sensed something was wrong and he got out of bed. He propped himself on his hind legs and licked my face with a cute whimper.

"I'm okay. Really." I said as I scratched him behind the ears. "Why don't you get some rest."

Thunder yipped and went back to his bed. It didn't take long for me to drift off, but before I was completely out, I whispered..

_"I don't want to go through life alone."_

* * *

The next morning…

I was up at 5 a.m… yes, I said 5 A.M. Don't ask. I've been getting up at this hour since I was a little kid. Anyway, after showering and brushing my teeth, I go to the kitchen to make myself a bowl of cereal. I fix Thunder's food and go to my laptop to do some research.

"Okay, , here I come." I say to myself.

So I log on to the site and spend the next couple of hours scanning through every video and pic there. Thunder hopped up onto the couch with me as I scroll through the roster and my cursor stops on one particular Superstar. What can I say, looks like his just grab you and his always do when I watch him on RAW. I was startled out of my daydream when I hear a loud knock on the door. Thunder let out a bark and I knew who it was.

**"Girl, it's Dee-Lo! Open up!"**

I hung my head down because I knew I was gonna get calls from my neighbors. I was lucky enough to get this place because it allowed pets and Thunder wasn't much of a barker unless something was really wrong. So, before she caused an even bigger scene, I shout.

"Girl, get in here before you get me and my baby thrown out!"

Dee-Lo rushes in and looks at me like I'd lost my mind.

"Your 'baby'?" She asked. "Who? Who'd you hook up with and WHY didn't you tell me!?"

I just rolled my eyes at the girl.

_"Me? Hook up with someone? Yeah, that'll happen."_ I think bitterly. "No, I'm talking about Thunder."

"Your dog?"

"Yes, my dog." I sighed. "He's the closest thing to a kid I'll ever have so… yeah. He's my baby."

Dee just shook her head in shame.

"Girl, you need help. No, you need to get laid… AND you need help." I was about to say something but the Dee started again. "You realize you're 32 and…"

"Do not go there." I cut her off. "Can we change the subject, please?" I guess Dee figured out that she hit a sore spot and nodded. She usually doesn't feel bad about what comes out of her mouth, but she does when she says something that hits a nerve with me.

"Yeah, girl. So…" She began. She walked around behind me and looked over my shoulder. She saw I was on the WWE site and smirked. "I see you're going the brainiac route."

"What? So I wanted to do some research."

"And you couldn't wait on me? I said I was coming to school you." She asked me faking like she was shocked and hurt.

"You and mornings aren't exactly the best of friends." I smirk. Dee just flipped me the bird and laughed as she went into my kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. She soon came back and plopped down next to me and looked at where I was.

"Okay, you trying to catch up? I know you've been out of the loop for a couple of… years." She said.

"Are you here to help me or criticize me?" I ask her.

"Both. That's one of the perks of being a best friend. It's in the official code!" Dee laughed. "And as for you not being up on everything WWE, you need to be ashamed of yourself."

"Why? Blame Family Guy and TBS." I laughed. Hey, I like the show.

"No, I'm blaming you. How can Peter Griffin compare to…" And she scrolled through the entire male roster as if trying to prove a point. "…all this masculine sexiness? Honestly, how they cram it all into just 3 hours… and yes, Raw is 3 hours now… is beyond me."

"Okay, when you're done drooling all over my laptop, lemme know." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Killjoy! Anyway, I know there's someone on there you got your eyes on. How can you not?" Dee asked me.

I really don't know why she keeps pushing the issue of me having eyes for someone. I mean, yeah there are some good looking guys on there… and of course, Dee sees my eyes lingering on the screen. Great...

"How about him? Randy Orton?" Dee was practically salivating over this guy. "He can RKO me anyday!"

"I guess he's okay." I say. Yeah, he's good looking, but he doesn't… spark anything for me, ya know?

"'Okay'? Just okay?! Girl, you need your glasses checked!" My best friend just sighed as she flipped through to another guy. "How about C.M. Punk?"

"I like the whole Straight Edge thing… but…"

"Still nothing? Are you sure you're not…"

"Can we move on, please?" I asked. I was starting to get annoyed with Dee. Yes, she's my best friend, but I kinda wish she'd stay out of my business when it comes to my non-existent love life. I hear her sigh as she clicks through and stops on another Superstar.

"Okay… how about this guy-John Cena?"

I didn't say anything. In fact I just turned away to hide the smile on my face… and with Dee around, that never works.

"Hallelujah! So there IS someone you like! There's hope for you yet!"

"Okay, ya got me. He is fine." I admit.

"'Fine' does not describe him, girl. I need to call Webster's and tell them to invent a word for his brand of fine!" Dee-Lo laughed. "There's nothing wrong with crushin' on him."

"I guess…" I just let out a sigh and closed my laptop. I was so excited about going and now…

"Girl, what's wrong? You trying to tell me you don't have a thing for him?"

"Yeah, but…"

"But what? What's wrong with crushing on a hot guy?"

I just put my laptop away and looked ay Dee.

"Nothing's wrong… except when they don't ever crush back." I said sadly. And now Dee feels like a total heel.

"Aw, don't say that." Dee tried to reassure me, but I knew better. "There are lots of guys who like you."

"Name one!" I challenged. If there were any guys interested in me, nobody gave me the memo.

"Well... well there's... uh... there's..." Dee-Lo stammered.

"My point exactly. I'm fine with it, really." I said as I looked out the window. "I've completely accepted the fact that I'll never find anyone. _Life sucks then you die, right?"_ I thought to myself. I guess Dee knew what I was thinking so she came over and gave me a hug.

"Gwen, I know you've heard this a million times before, but I'm gonna make it a million and one. There's someone out there for everyone." Dee-Lo stated.

_"Everyone except me."_ I thought. "That's easy for you to say, Dee-Lo. You have a man. I'll believe it when I see it." Gwen said as she frowned. "Let's not talk about hooking up anymore, okay? I just wanna enjoy this weekend before we leave for Memphis."

"Okay. But I still don't think you should just give up." Dee said. Bless her for trying to keep me positive. Some days, she's the only thing keeping me from… well, I won't get into that. "Anyway, today, we shop for poster board, paints, and I got my man hookin' us up with some tight airbrushed shirts. I'll let him know to make a special Cenation t-shirt for you." She said with a wink.

"Now that sounds like fun." I smile. I grab Thunder's leash and the three of us go out shopping. That afternoon we worked on our signs and Dee gave me a crash course on any WWE facts and gossip she felt I needed to know. Some of it didn't surprise me, some… it's times like that I think she's the Wendy Williams of the WWE. How the hell does she KNOW all this dirt? Sunday, I spent picking out clothes. I was thankful that I had a week off so I decided to use some of my vacation days. Time flew and it was Monday morning. Dee had family in Memphis so a place to stay wasn't a problem. All I had to do was go through my checklist.

"Okay, camera… check. Autograph book… check. Money for souvenirs… check."

**_"HEY, GIRL! READY TO ROLL OUT!?"_** Shouted my best buddy who, all of a sudden, starts singing Ludacris.

She is just too much!

"Loudmouth black chick telling me she ready to go… DOUBLE check!" I laugh to myself. "Okay! I'm coming!"

With Thunder and my bags in tow, I say so long to my hometown for a week and hello to Memphis.

Later that night…

(A/N: This is still Gwen's P.O.V.)

We'd arrived in Memphis that afternoon and got settled in. Dee's Aunt Sophie was really sweet to let us stay with her and she loves Thunder. Now we're at the Pyramid Arena where we show the usher our tickets. We had our signs and we wore our shirts Dee's boyfriend made for us. I gotta admit, this is pretty exciting. While Dee was going crazy buying up merchandise, I let her know that I had to use the bathroom.

"Okay, I'll meet you at our seats." She said to me. I just gave her a quick wave because I REALLY had to go. It didn't take me long to do my business, so I decided to do some exploring. It was my first time even IN the Pyramid so it was all new to me. And that turned out to be a bad thing because… the next thing I knew, I had gotten myself lost. Okay, really? How… boneheaded can one person be?

"It's a good thing the show doesn't start for another 45 minutes; because I have a feeling I'm never getting out of here. I KNEW I should have brought a compass or some crap like that." I said to nobody in particular as I fished inside my bottomless purse for my cell. After an unsuccessful five minutes, I resorted to the all out purse dump. Yeah, that helped.

"Oh, shit! The ONE time I forget my cell phone. This is just perfect! What else can go wrong?" I ask myself as I wander through the halls looking for ANYONE who can help me out.

* * *

-RAW Locker Room-

It was forty-five minutes until the start of the show and in the locker room, a few of the RAW Superstars were getting ready when Randy Orton entered. John Cena looked up and was the first to greet him.

"Whaddup, Randy? Where ya been?" John asked his best friend.

"Not much. Just got back from checking out the ladies filing in." The 3rd generation Superstar said with a grin on his face.

"Any hotties tonight?" Chris Jericho wondered out loud.

"You even need to ask? This place is gonna be full of them. Maybe you guys'll get lucky. Maybe even you, John." Randy smirked.

John, who was lacing up his pump sneakers, looked up when he heard his name.

"Ha ha! That's real funny." John shook his head. "It hasn't been that long since my divorce and you're already trying to hook me up. Need I remind you of the LAST time you did that?"

Randy just cringed because the person he hooked his best friend up with… was his now ex-wife.

"Hell, how was I supposed to know? I'm just a matchmaker. After I hook people up, they're on their own!" Randy said with his hands up in surrender. That earned him flood of towels being thrown at him. "That's it, don't come crying to me next time you guys need love advice."

"Don't worry. We won't." Rey Mysterio laughed. Randy was about to run after him but Mr. 619 proved to be too quick.

"Yeah, well I kinda wanna enjoy my new bachelor lifestyle for a while." John said as he looked for his green Cenation t-shirt.

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. Vince wants to see you, Rey and me before the show starts. Something about some last-minute changes. John, he said you were still good to go." Kofi Kingston explained.

"Aight. See y'all later. Hey, we still on for clubbin' tonight, right?" John asked the guys.

"You know it! As far as I know, we're all going." Randy nodded.

"Cool. Let's just hope we survive AJ's first night as RAW GM." John and the other superstars just shuddered at the thought of such a fruitcake running things.

"I almost rather have Hornswaggle continue being the Anonymous GM." Kofi said and that earned him a few raised eyebrows from his comrades. "I said ALMOST!"

"Let's not think about that. Good luck!" John shouted.

After everyone left to check in with Vince McMahon, John had unwrapped a peppermint candy he had gotten from his bag and began eating it. He was sucking on it when a noise startled him. He jerked and as he did, the candy got lodged in his windpipe. He clutched his throat and tried in vain to cough up what he was choking on. He started to panic and his eyes began to water as his life flashed before his blue orbs.

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

I was wandering around the locker room area, still hopelessly lost. I saw a few guys come out of the hallway and turn the corner. I guess they didn't notice me because none of them said anything. I don't know WHY I didn't speak up and ask them for help.

"Smooth, girl. Real smooth! Now whatcha gonna do?" I say to myself. I was about to just give up when I thought of something. "Wait. Maybe there's someone left back there that could tell me where the Hell I am."

It was worth a shot, right? I mean they're not like us women who ALL go in and ALL come out together… at least, I hope not! Wherever those guys came from, I figured there had to be someone still there. I walked down the hall when I heard what sounded like someone crashing into a locker and gagging. Being the nosy chick, I was, I decided to follow the noise until I reached the men's locker room. I peeked inside half-hoping I wouldn't see anyone undressed. Well, just my luck, there weren't any naked or even HALF naked guys around. What I did see was someone kneeling down on the floor with his hand on his throat. He was choking! Oh, my God! Men's locker room or not, this guy needed help and I was the only soul around. Without thinking, I ran in, wrapped my arms around his waist and gave him the Heimlich Maneuver.

"Come on! This has to work!" I say as I kept going. "Please work!" After about five thrusts, the candy flew out of his mouth and he coughed and gasped for air. I saw the color returning to his skin and I put my hand on his broad shoulder. "Are you alright?"

He just nodded since he hadn't caught his breath yet. It wasn't until he started to breathe that I noticed him dressed in baggy blue jean shorts, green wristbands and pump sneakers.

_"Now where have I seen this outfit before?"_ I thought to myself as he started to stand. "Stand? Okay, I'm outta here!" I don't know what came over me; I just bolted out of the locker room before he could thank me and ran to anyone who could take me to my seat.

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

"Damn, that was close! That's it; no more hard candy before a match!" I said, my voice still really hoarse.

I don't think I ever came closer to death since that time I got stabbed. When they say your life flashes before your eyes, they weren't kidding! I finally stood up, ready to thank this person for saving my life and I see her run out like a bat outta Hell. I got up and shouted: "Hey, wait!" But it was too late. She was gone just like that. I didn't get a good look at her but I did manage to catch long, black hair and a crescent-moon shaped mark on the back of her right shoulder.

"She must be here for the show." No shit, Sherlock! Why else would she be here? I just stand there in the doorway wondering who this girl was and why she was back here in the first place. All I know is, before this night is over, I'm gonna thank her for saving me.

**END OF CHAPTER ONE**

Sorry, I didn't describe Gwen any further. I will in the next chapter. Like I said, I'm revamping this entire fic. I originally wrote this fic over 7 years ago and never finished. Mostly because I didn't like where it was going. Hopefully, this time, it'll work out a bit better. So please show me some love! Peace!


	2. Is She the One?

Here's a big CENATION shout out for my first 3 reviewers: ******M.J's Place, JadeRose1 and Keeper of Oz**! ROCK ON! THANX!

Disclaimer: I STILL don't own anything except the ******unfamiliar** people and places in this fic. Enjoy! And PLEASE review. Thanks!

* * *

-RAW Pyramid Arena-

******JOHN'S P.O.V.**

I was walking through the hallway after I had finally gotten my senses back after my near-death experience. Now the only thing I was concentrating on, besides my upcoming match, was finding the girl who saved my life. I didn't have much to go on, unfortunately; my only clue was that she had long black hair and a crescent moon-shaped mark on her right shoulder. I was basically running around like a chicken with its head cut off as I asked anyone I could find if they had seen a black-haired girl with a mark on her shoulder. Everyone I talked to either said they didn't see ANYONE like that or they saw LOTS of girls who fit that description. Yeah, that's a big help! I think I might have messed up a few promos during my search… I dunno, call it a hunch judging from a few dirty looks I got from the directors. Note to self… never get between Kali and his close up. Anyway, after nearly a whole night of searching and running, I stood in the middle of the lobby ready to give up.

"Okay, Sherlock. You ran all over the Pyramid and there's absolutely no sign of that girl. To quote my cousin, Marc… what now?" I ran a hand over my hair when another, more important question crossed my mind. "I mean, what was she doing back in the locker area anyway?"

"I think the chick was lost." I heard a voice say. I turned around and there was Chris Jericho waving at me.

___"Well, that explains why she was back there... REWIND!"_ I scream in my head. "Wait… you mean you saw her?" I asked.

"Yeah, she kept fiddling with her glasses and looked really frustrated when she asked me which way the ring was. She said she needed to get to her seat and her friend. She showed me her ticket and I led her to the usher. I almost took her to her seat myself; she was kinda cute." Chris remembered.

___"Way to rub it in, man!"_ I thought to myself. Was that jealousy talkin'? HELL YEAH! I mean, Chris got to see what she looked like and all I got was her hair and a moon-shaped mark. It just made me want to find her that much more. "You said you saw her ticket. Do you know where she'll be sitting?" I asked him hopefully. "Maybe I could catch her when I go for my match."

"Yeah. She's gonna be in the front row, you know, the side facing the cameras." Chris recalled. "Oh, she had on a Cenation tank top and it looked custom-made. Hmmm, I wonder who her favorite wrestler is?"

It was crap like that that made me wanna drop kick his ass, even if he was my friend. He is so lucky I'm more interested in finding that girl.

"Um… don't wanna rain on your parade, but your match is next. Main event, remember?" Chris smirked.

And it's crap like that that makes me thankful we are friends. Really, sometimes I get so distracted, I'd forget my head was bolted to my neck. I snapped out of my daydream and looked at the clock.

"Aw, shit! I almost forgot! Thanks, man! I gotta go!"

And with that, I run to the gorilla so I can make my entrance. I guess I can forget my cardio workout tomorrow because I did all my running tonight!

* * *

-Main Event-

******GWEN'S P.O.V.**

It was near the end of the show and I couldn't tell ya what happened if you asked me. I was still thinking about what happened in that locker room earlier tonight.

******FLASHBACK**

___It was worth a shot, right? I mean they're not like us women who ALL go in and ALL come out together… at least, I hope not! Wherever those guys came from, I figured there had to be someone still there. I walked down the hall when I heard what sounded like someone crashing into a locker and gagging. Being the nosy chick, I was, I decided to follow the noise until I reached the men's locker room. I peeked inside half-hoping I wouldn't see anyone undressed. Well, just my luck, there weren't any naked or even HALF naked guys around. What I did see was someone kneeling down on the floor with his hand on his throat. He was choking! Oh, my god! Men's locker room or not, this guy needed help and I was the only soul around. Without thinking, I ran in, wrapped my arms around his waist and gave him the Heimlich Maneuver._

___"Come on! This has to work!" I say as I kept going. "Please work!" After about five thrusts, the candy flew out of his mouth and he coughed and gasped for air. I saw the color returning to his skin and I put my hand on his broad shoulder. "Are you alright?"_

___He just nodded since he hadn't caught his breath yet. It wasn't until he started to breathe that I noticed him dressed in baggy blue jean shorts, green wristbands and pump sneakers._

___"Now where have I seen this outfit before?" I thought to myself as he started to stand. "Stand? Okay, I'm outta here!" I don't know what came over me; I just bolted out of the locker room before he could thank me and ran to anyone who could take me to my seat._

******END FLASHBACK**

I just stood there with the blankest expression on my face and I must have worried Dee because she decided to interrupt my thoughts the only way she knew how.

"Gwen, GWEN! Say something!" The girl was shaking my shoulder so hard, I thought she was gonna rip my arm out of its socket. ******"John Cena's lookin' at ya, girl!"** Dee-Lo shouted in my ear.

******"WHAT?! WHERE?"** I whirled my head around and the only thing I saw was my soon-to-be-EX best friend laughing. "That wasn't even right!" I frowned. It seemed like forever, but Dee finally stopped laughing at me long enough to muster an apology.

"Sorry, girl! I had to get your attention somehow. You just kinda zoned out on me."

Man, was I that bad?

"Sorry, Dee. I guess I got something on my mind." I said looking the other way. Well, what happened earlier just… well, to be honest, I'm still not sure if what happened really… happened.

"No big, girl." I was happy that Dee decided to squash this. Or I was when I felt her tap me on my shoulder again. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask ya what happened when you went to the ladies' room before the show started. You didn't get lost, did you?" She chuckled.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I lied. Of course I got lost. It was my first trip to the Pyramid!

"Ha ha ha! You DID!" Dee laughed again. "Oh, I can't believe it. You spent all those years in the Girls Scouts and you get yourself lost! That's it, I'm giving you the GPS out of my car!"

"At least I didn't get lost in the Wal-Mart SuperCenter." I shot back with a smirk. Yup… that shut her up.

"Not funny! Not funny at all!" Dee pouted. "You swore you'd never use that against me."

"I lied." Now it was my turn to laugh. Hey, what good is a best friend if you can't use sensitive info against them? It's what keeps the friendship strong. Okay, it keeps OUR friendship strong. I was about to say something else but I heard the unmistakable eight notes play throughout the arena. I looked towards the ramp and the lyrics blared, I see… him.

**__****Your time is up, my time is now. You can't see me, my time is now. It's the franchise, boy I'm shining now. You can't see me, my time is now!**

The lyrics rang throughout the arena and mixed with the thunderous cheering from all the other die-hard fans around us. I have to admit, it is exciting… but LOUD AS HELL!

"Note to self: Next time, BRING EARPLUGS!" I scream as I put my hands over my ears.

After I did, I saw the guy that was walking down the ramp to the ring and my breath left me. It was none other than the Franchise, Mr. Hustle, Loyalty, Respect himself, John Cena dressed in the same baggy blue jean shorts, green wristbands with matching cap and pump sneakers I'd seen in so many pics on the net. Not the usual ring gear, but he worked it. I didn't know who he was wrestling and I didn't give a damn. My brown eyes were on fixed him the whole time.

___"DAMN! He's even more gorgeous in person!"_ I thought until I realized something. ___"Wait a second... baggy blue jean shorts...green wristbands... pump sneakers... NO FRIGGIN' WAY! The dude I saved back in the locker room was..."_

Yup, you guessed it! I had saved John Cena from choking tonight. I still couldn't get over my unbelievable luck. I had saved the life of the finest white guy in the WWE… ******AND MY STUPID BLACK ASS RAN AWAY BEFORE HE COULD THANK ME!** I could just kick myself right now! And with my luck, he probably doesn't even remember. To paraphrase one of his songs, this is just another day in my lonely life, I guess. Oh, well. This is as close as I'm gonna get to a fine lookin' guy, so I better enjoy it.

* * *

A bit later…

******JOHN'S P.O.V.**

******1-2-3!** The ref called for the bell and I win my match. I was riding on a huge adrenaline high when I climbed onto the turnbuckle and saluted my fans. I love this job so much and I came close to having this be my last night on Earth. It sent a chill down my spine but only for a minute as I looked out at the crowd… and that's when I saw her: long black hair, creamy milk chocolate skin, BANGING shape, she looked like she was 5'7" give or take. She even wore glasses and I thought that was kinda cute. I looked at her shirt and remembered what Chris told me:

___**Oh, she had on a Cenation tank top and it looked custom-made. Hmmm, I wonder who her favorite wrestler is?"**_

___"Yeah, her shirt doesn't look like an official WWE shirt. I wonder if it's her."_ I thought.

My heart dropped like a lead balloon when I was that there were a lot of girls in the front with "custom made" Cenation shirts and a lot of them had black hair, too. But I also remembered that Chris said she had on glasses and only one girl did.

___"She is kinda cute."_ I thought to myself. I jump down off the turnbuckle and slid under the bottom rope until I stood right in front of her. She had her head turned to look somewhere else and her friend was just standing next to her looking bug-eyed and her mouth was hanging open. She was pounding on the girl's shoulder so hard, I was worried she'd knock it out of joint. When this girl finally turned her head to the front, I nearly laughed when I saw the expression on her face when she finally looked at me. Her eyes were wide as saucers but what got me was the color. They were the deepest, darkest brown I had ever seen. I just became lost in them. I wasn't sure if she was my savior, but I still wanted to talk to her.

"You enjoying yourself?" I ask her.

"Uh, yeah. You looked great up there." She said as she smiled at me. "I-I mean you fought great up there." She squeaked.

I could have melted right then and there. She had a nice smile and I think I detected a bit of a Southern accent. I was gonna ask something when I noticed her poster.

"If you want, I can sign that for you." I offered. She just nodded as she handed me the poster. I knew I had that affect on women, but wow! Her friend handed me a black Sharpie and I signed her poster. I was so tempted to wave my hand in front of her and shout… "Earth to cutie"… but I didn't want to embarrass her. When I finished autographing her poster I gave her a wink and a smile before I walked up the ramp towards the locker room.

* * *

******GWEN'S P.O.V.**

There I was… not moving… not talking… and not sure if I was even breathing. It was like someone just hit the pause button and it broke.

___"Okay, breathe, damnit! Say something… anything!"_ I screamed in my head. I took what felt like my first breath that night and the first word out of my mouth was… "Dee-Lo?" I asked in amazement.

"Yeah, Gwen?" She asked back with the same shocked expression.

"Did what I ******think** happen, just happened? Did John Cena sign my poster and wink at me?" I ask, still in a daze.

"Yeah, Gwen." She said. Her voice was barely a whisper and for Dee-Lo… that was a feat in itself.

We both look at each other and jumped up and down, squealing like the fangirls we were. I mean this was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. And if I knew Dee, she took lots of pictures...or at least she better have otherwise I'd never have proof that this actually happened to me.

"I can't fuckin' believe that happened! He signed your poster and smiled at you! Oh, and he has the best dimples! I hate you!" She laughed.

"I'm still in shock myself." I breathed as I felt something in my hands. It was my poster but what made me do a double take was what was written on it in black Sharpie ink:

___**"To My Favorite Member of the Cenation. Keep it real, baby girl! Love, John!"**_

I couldn't help but let out another squeal. Okay, it was a full on scream that made me look like a total fool, but who cares!? You can bet that this is never goin' on eBay!

"Man, this is one night I will never forget as long as I live!" I shouted as I walked with Dee back to the car.

We saw that some of the Superstars were hanging around after the show ended and signing autographs and photos, so me and Dee decided to grab a few more before we left. It's not right to leave without something to fill your scrapbook. That lasted for a good thirty minutes before we decided to hit the hottest club in town, Club 152 on Beale Street. I was hoping that I'd see John again, but who was I kidding? A hot guy like him would never wanna talk to me. I think he just did that one time because I was a fan. I dunno what's wrong with me? No matter how much I hope for a relationship, every guy I ever had a crush on always said they just liked me as a 'friend' or saw me as a 'sister'. Story of my life.

"Gwen? Girl, don't do that to me. No sad faces! Not tonight! You just talked to the finest guy in the WWE AND we're goin' clubbin! Smile! This is your first time in Memphis so live it up!" Dee encouraged. As much as that girl drove me up the fuckin' wall, I love her for always keeping my head up.

"You know what, you're right! Besides, I hear this town has some bumpin' DJ's!"

"There ya go! That's the Gwen I know and love… to torment!" Dee laughed.

"I'm so gonna kick your ass for that!" I laughed as I chased her to the car. Little did I know that someone was gonna be chasing me later.

* * *

******JOHN'S P.O.V.**

I love this part of the night where we meet and greet some of the fans. It was like an after party, you know, without the booze. Anyway, the rest of the superstars and I were wrapping up and signing our last few autographs for the night when I saw a girl laughing and running towards the front door. I was about to look away when I notice something on her right shoulder. I dropped the pen in my hand when I saw what it was: that same moon-shaped mark from earlier.

___**"It's her!"**_ I scream in my head as I ran towards the door. Evan saw me bolt and apologized to a couple of kids before running after me.

"Hey! Where ya runnin' off to, dude!" He shouted.

Rey, Kofi, Chris and Randy followed Evan's lead. I guess they all wanted to know what was up since I never leave in the middle of a meet and greet. I didn't care who came after me since all I cared about was catching up to this woman before she left. But it was too late; I saw her and her friend get into their car and drive off before I could catch up to her. And there I was standing in a cloud of exhaust, coughing and I was literally eating her dust.

"FUCK! Now I'll never find her!" I curse at myself for not being just a little bit faster. With a sad sigh, I turn to walk back inside only to see my friends looking at me like I had lost my mind.

"Who's 'her'?" Rey asked me.

It was then that I realized that nobody knew what happened earlier tonight. Well, duh; that's because I never told them yet. So I took a deep breath and I told them everything.

"...and that's why I have to find her. I need to thank her for saving my life." I explained.

The looks on my buddies' faces ranged from shock that I was so close to dying, to relief that I was saved in the nick of time, to compassion for me because I might have lost my chance to find her to finally to shame… I guess because they think I wasn't smart enough to put two and two together and figure out that the girl I signed the poster for was the same girl I was searching for all night. That last one came from Randy who just smirked at me.

"Don't gimme that look! If you guys were in my shoes… you probably would have figured it out faster… but that's NOT the point!" I was frustrated. "Look, are you guys gonna laugh at me or help me?"

"Laugh… then help." Chris and the others chuckled. After a few minutes of my so-called friends laughing at me, Chris spoke up. "We can't really do anything about it tonight. Let's wait until tomorrow. We have the day off."

"That could be too late!" I shouted.

"Maybe not! John, remember when I told you that I saw the girl you were looking for?" He asked me and I nodded. "Well, I was talking to her and she said that she was gonna be in town all week. Maybe we could start a manhunt, with the media looking for her, too."

"You think Vince is gonna go for that?" Rey asked.

"Can't hurt to ask. Besides John looks like he's obsessed with finding this girl. She must be a KNOCKOUT!" Kofi chuckled.

It took everything I had to keep from pacing back and forth. I mean, the more we talk, the further away that girl is. I know, I know. I'm going crazy and it's not gonna get things resolved any faster. So, with a heavy sigh, I turned to my friends.

"Well, like you said, we can't do anything else tonight. So how about we hit the clubs?" I asked. I needed to do something to keep my mind busy, so maybe some beer and music will do the trick.

"I'm in! I heard about this kickin' place called Club 152! It's supposed to be the hottest spot in town!" Evan piped up. "And, I hear the ladies are smokin'!"

"Then let's hit it! Since I can't find this girl, I might as well party like there's no tomorrow!"

The guys were happy that I wasn't gonna wallow over this girl and enjoy myself tonight. All the same, I looked up at a shooting star that streaked across the night sky. When nobody was looking, I closed my eyes and made a wish like I used to do when I was a little kid.

___"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might… find the girl who saved me tonight."_It was one of those serene, soul-searching moments you see in those family movies... and then I get brought back to reality.

"Hey, John! Get in or you're walking!" Randy shouted from the driver side.

"Alright! I'm coming!" I was gonna call shotgun, but I saw that Rey had already claimed it. "Bastard!" I chuckled under my breath as I got in.

-Club 152-

******STILL JOHN'S P.O.V.**

We drive up to Club 152 and we were allowed in without question. One of the perks of the job. Once inside, Evan was right. The place was ALL THAT! Slammin' music and loads of hotties left and right! Rey, Evan, Kofi and Chris went their separate ways leaving me and Randy to mingle with the crowd. Man! This music was hot. I wanted to move to it so bad... but then I remembered... I can't dance. If I tried, someone might call 911 because they'd think I was having an epileptic seizure.

"Yeah, that'll look good on YouTube!" I cringe. I was thankful that the music was so loud Randy couldn't hear me. But, I guess he could sense what I was thinking because I felt a nudge against my ribs.

"John, what's up? You're usually more animated than this. Loosen up!" Randy chuckled. I just looked at my best friend like he'd grown antlers.

That's Randy for ya... long on talent... short on memory.

"Uh… you remember the last time I 'loosened up'? I asked. "People thought I was having a fit! One dude threw holy water on me 'cause he thought I was being possessed by the devil!" That was when Randy started laughing his fool head off. "Not cool, man!"

"I… hahaha… I'm sorry! But it was kinda funny!" Randy gasped. "Look, let's not think about it and enjoy the music!"

That was the best idea he had all night. And the music was good. The best thing was that they played the current hits and some from a few years ago. I was going through the crowd when "Lose my Breath" by Destiny's Child started to play. I looked at the DJ and then looked up at the sky.

"Really?" I asked nobody in particular. I had to let out a chuckle at the coincidence. The song title just made me think of what happened tonight because I really would have 'lost my breath' for good if she hadn't saved me. I was brought out of my thought by loud cheering and I had to see what was going on. I made my way to the center of the club where the crowd had formed a circle and what I saw in the middle nearly blew me away because there in the middle of the circle was the girl from the arena; the same one I signed the poster for. Baby girl was dancing her ASS off. I saw her friend and heard her star the chant "Go, Gwen!" and it wasn't long before everyone was doing it.

"Gwen, that's a pretty name." I thought. Before I got lost in my daydream, I shook Randy on the shoulder. "Yo, Randy! Check her out! Girl's got some mad skills!" I said loud enough so Randy could hear me. He watched her for a few minutes and nodded in agreement.

"She's got some moves, I'll give her that!" Randy shouted back.

This girl was amazing! I'd give anything to dance ******half** as good. She must have changed clothes before coming here because she was now wearing a cropped tank top, low rise blue jeans that hugged every curve on her tight body, especially her ass, and black and white Air Force Ones. I stood there wishing I had her moves when I saw her turn around. What I saw next floored me.

**__****"No fuckin' way! It's that same crescent moon shaped mark from before! It was her!"** I screamed to myself.

MAN! Somebody up there must really like me. The girl I signed the poster for was the same girl who saved my life. As soon as the song ended, she made her way to the bar and I knew that it was now or never.

"Randy! Come on, Man!" I grabbed his arm and dragged him with me.

"Wha… where the Hell are you taking me?" He asked me. "John, this better be good!"

"Ya know the girl I was talking about, the one I was trying to catch up with?"

"The girl who saved you? Yeah, so?"

******SO?!** This is a big deal and he asks 'SO'!? I don't understand his mind's at sometimes.

"So… she's here! That's her over there!" I said excited. "What are the odds?"

"Yeah, we should hit the casinos next time we're in Vegas." Randy rolled his eyes.

We both watched her as she talked to the bartender. I guess she was getting ready to order a drink… perfect. I drag Randy with me to the bar and made sure I was close by… but not too close as I called the bartender over. I ordered a drink I thought she might like and asked him to take it to her. I slipped him a c-note for his trouble. I waited for him to mix the drink and watched as he brought it over to the girl. This was gonna be the perfect icebreaker.

* * *

******GWEN'S P.O.V.**

After the song ended, I walked to the bar and sat down. I loved coming to clubs because I end up dancing most of the night. I'm a slave to the rhythm and sometimes I get carried away and tire myself out. Luckily, I didn't this time. I asked the bartender for a Pepsi and he just nodded when another guy called him over. A few minutes later he handed me a glass and… there wasn't Pepsi in it.

"Um, I don't drink. That's why I asked for a Pepsi." I told him.

"Compliments of the gentleman across the way." He said and pointed to the other end of the bar. My eyes traveled to where the bartender pointed and my heart just skipped a beat. Sitting three seats away from was the Legend Killer, Randy Orton and John Cena. Randy waved and John flashed a smile at me. Okay, it was more of a crooked grin but it still suited him.

___"I can't believe he's here! I must have done something awesome in a past life or something!"_ I thought to myself. ___"This can't be just a coincidence."_

* * *

******END OF CHAPTER 2**

A/N: Well, there it is. You actually thought this was gonna be along dragged out search? Yeah, right! I have plans for this story... not sure what, but they are plans nonetheless! So read and leave me some love. And pass it on. :p PEACE!


	3. Um, I'm a Hero? Surprise!

Disclaimer: Again, I own NOTHING and NOBODY associated with the WWE. I just own Gwen, Dee-Lo, and all other unfamiliar people and places in my fic. (But if they're real, I DON'T own them.) Now, ON WITH THE STORY!

-Club 152-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Don't ask me how it all happened. One minute, I'm doin' my thang on the dance floor; next thing I know, I'm sittin' three seats down from the hottest wrestler in the WWE who is now smiling his sexy crooked grin and... oh, my goodness... where did he get those cute dimples?

_"Those dimples suit him; as if he wasn't cute before. I swear, a smile like that can get a girl in trouble and… what the- he's coming this way; him and his friend. Oh, shit! PLEASE don't let me make a fool out of myself in front of him!"_ I thought to myself.

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

_"PLEASE don't let me make a fool out of myself in front of her!"_ I prayed. _"I think I made a pretty good first impression back at the arena; I could tell from the way she smiled at me... she has such a pretty smile. Now if I can just..."_

Now see, while I'm rambling on in my head, I have absolutely no idea that I'm looking like a fish caught on a hook. You know the look-mouth slightly open, eyes glazed over… in a nutshell, I look stupid and what I hear next doesn't help my reputation as a smooth guy.

"Is he okay? Does he need smelling salts or something?" I heard her ask. Randy just pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a slow hiss before he answered her.

"Uh… yeah. He's fine. Just a little shy, that's all." I heard Randy answer. Then he whispered harshly in my ear. I think he got some spit in there, yuck. "John! Say something, dude! You're starting to drool!"

"Huh... what?" I finally snap out of my trance to look at Randy and then I see the girl I've been looking for all night with a look of confusion and concern. And that was when I finally realize I blanked on her. Smooth move, John. She probably thinks you're nuts now! Okay, I gotta recover from this. "Oh, sorry about that. I guess I zoned out." I chuckle nervously.

"It's cool. I've been known to zone out every once in a while myself." She laughed.

_"She has a nice laugh, too."_ I thought to myself. Okay, I broke the ice with her. Let's keep it going. "I guess I should introduce myself. I'm..." I started to say.

"John Cena. And you're Randy Orton. I know who you guys are." She said as she grinned at us. "I'm Gwendolyn, but pretty much everyone calls me Gwen. Nice to meet you."

She extended her hand to Randy first and he shook it. I saw her eyes widen a bit. Guess she was impressed by how firm his handshake was. When she extended her hand to me, I take it into mine, gave it a soft kiss and winked at her again. She just smiled and looked down at the floor. I know the lighting in here sucks, but I could swear I saw a bit of a blush on her cheeks. Alright, I guess it's smooth sailing from-

"So, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" I heard Randy ask her.

And here comes Jaws to rip my boat apart! I don't have to worry about embarrassing myself in front of her… Randy's doing that for me! See, THIS is why I keep choosing Rey or Evan as my wing man! I was going to say something before his cheesy ass pick-up lines scare her away, but Gwen beats me to the punch.

"No offense, Randy, but that pick-up line is two days older than dirt." She laughed. Randy looked at her, then at me with a smirk. Shit, what's he gonna do now?

"Okay, how about this one: 'Excuse me, I've lost my number; can I have yours?'"

All I could do was stand there and pull my cap over my face. Dude! You're killing me, here!

"That's almost as bad as the first one." She answered and grinned. Okay, she's not completely weirded out… thank goodness.

"Randy, I beg you. In the name of all that is good and pure in… well GOOD in this club, you won't say anything else!" But Randy… he just can't resist embarrassing me in front of women.

"Okay, okay, last one: 'If I was in charge of the alphabet, I'd put U and I together.'" Randy laughed.

Truthfully, I was half expecting this girl to just walk out, but she just shook her head and laughed.

"Ha ha ha! Now that has to be the** lamest** one yet! But nice try, though."

Not able to take anymore, I pull Randy back a bit.

"Worst… wingman… EVER! I wanna apologize for my brain-damaged friend here." I say with a glare to Randy. "He's having sort of a dry spell with women lately." I told her.

"With those lines, I can see why." She chuckled. "Just kidding. I know this guy probably doesn't have to say a word to get women to swoon."

"Oh, I like her!" Randy said with a shit-eating grin.

"Thanks, now I'm gonna need the Jaws of Life to get his head to fit through the door." I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry." She smirked. "Randy, you're cool, but seriously… your pick up lines need work."

"Yeah, well it's **still** a lot less drastic than John's method. Huh, John-boy?" Randy hinted with a smirk.

If he wasn't one of my best friends, I'd clock him! I was trying to ease into that, but he just rammed into like an old lady with cataracts driving a Hummer.

"What are you talking about?" She asked The Legend Killer. Okay, I wanted to be more discreet, but Mr. Big Mouth here shot that to Hell.

"Gwen, I need to ask you something." Here goes noting. "Do you remember what happened earlier tonight at the arena?" I asked her. I had to make sure she was who I thought she was. I mean, hey, she could have a twin who has the same mark. You never know.

"Yeah, you signed my poster and you winked at me." She said.

"You winked at her? You sly dog, you!" Randy teased and nudged me.

"You're not helping one bit!" I say to my buddy through clenched teeth. Legend Killer, my ass. Cock Blocker's more like it! "Actually, I was talking about before then... like before the show started?" I looked at her face and I could tell she was going through the night's events in her head.

"Well, I remember getting my ass hopelessly lost and wandering into the locker room area." Okay, so that fits Chris' assessment of when he saw her. He did say she looked lost; so far so good. I nodded and let her know she could continue. "Then I heard a crash coming from inside one of the rooms. I peeked inside and I saw someone kneeling on the floor and choking so I ran in and gave him the Heimlich Maneuver. Why do you ask?"

When I heard that, I just had the biggest smile on my face. Randy was right about one thing… we SHOULD hit Vegas because I'm never gonna have this kinda luck again! Uh oh… she's giving me that "this guy's starting to worry me" look again. I better say something.

"The reason I asked is because the guy choking in the locker room was me. You saved my life but you ran out so fast, I didn't even see your face; all I saw was your hair and that mark on your shoulder." I gently turned her around and pointed at that moon-shaped mark. "I was running all over the arena tonight trying to find you so I can thank you. I had no idea you were the same girl I signed that poster for." I said with a stupid grin on my face.

"You don't have to thank me. It was nothing, really. Besides it was my fucked up sense of direction and dumb luck that led me there." She chuckled.

"Well, if it wasn't for your 'fucked up sense of direction and dumb luck', I wouldn't be standing here now." I said truthfully. I wanna do something for her, something special. But right now, I wanna ask her about-

"You were tearin' up the floor pretty good out there. How long have you been dancing?" Randy asked… before I could. This time, I can't get too mad at him because I want to know myself.

"I've been dancing since I was 9." She began. "I then ended up with a job at my local dance studio teaching hip-hop to pay the bills."

"You like working there?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I do. I love teaching kids to dance and anyone else who wants to learn, but..."

"But?" Randy and I asked at the same time.

"But the only thing I hate about working there is my asshole boss, Mr. Hardmon. If it wasn't for the kids and the fact that I NEED this job, I'd have told him to stick that job where the sun don't shine." She said with sparks in her dark brown eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to dump all that on you guys."

"Nah, it's okay. We've been there before; working somewhere you love but for someone you..." Randy started.

"...wanna throw in front of a herd of stampeding bulls and hope he gets trampled underfoot?" She finished with the straightest face.

Yikes. And I thought I had boss issues, but those sparks in her eyes told me that she wasn't kidding when she said what she said.

"Sorry again. But, on the bright side, he was the one who gave me the tickets to Raw tonight so I guess that's something."

Note to self: thank her asshole of a boss.

"Let's change the subject, shall we? How long are you gonna be in town?" I asked her.

"Just for a week. I'm staying at my friend's Aunt Sophie's house."

"Speaking of… was that her that kept hitting you on the shoulder when I came up to you?" I asked with a smile.

"Oh, you mean, Dee-Lo? Yup, that's her. She's been my best friend since first grade. Girl's as crazy as a shot rabbit!" She laughed. And that accent… I could listen to that all day.

"Oh, like YOU'RE the poster child for sanity!"

I heard the voice but I didn't see where it was coming from until Gwen turned around and hugged someone.

"Dee-Lo! Where were you? You just flat out ditched me!"

"I was talking to the DJ about requesting a few songs and…" She stopped mid sentence when she finally got a look at who Gwen was talking to. And she pretty much had the same fish look I had a few minutes ago.

"Dee? This is John Cena and Randy Orton. But being the wrestling fanatic you are, I guess you already knew that. Guys, this is my partner in crime, Delores Maxwell; a.k.a. Dee-Lo."

**DEE-LO'S P.O.V.**

I finally catch up to Gwen after her performance and I see that she's talking to a couple of guys. I walk over and hear her playfully talkin' smack about me; I knew she was because I'm the only person she describes as being "crazy as a shot rabbit". I fire back by saying "Oh, like YOU'RE the poster child for sanity!" making her turn around. After she hugged me I get a chance to see who she was chatting it up with and... this is new for me... **I WAS SPEECHLESS**! My best friend was talking to Randy Orton and the guy of her dreams, John Cena! If I didn't hate her before, I do now.

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

I was finishing the introduction when I see Dee-Lo standing there with her mouth open. Okay, did she and John rehearse that look beforehand or what? She looked just like that ugly Billy, the Big-Mouth Bass singing fish her Aunt Sophie has in her house.

"Hi, Dee-Lo!" Randy said first.

"'Sup, Dee-Lo?" John said.

Now knowing her, I figured she'd act all cool and whatnot, but the only thing that came out of her mouth was a squeaky 'hi'. I held in my laughter but rest assured, I will NEVER let her live this down as long as she lives.

"She's usually a lot more talkative than this. In fact, her nickname in high school was Motormouth!" I explained.

"Gwen, you better be glad you're my girl, or else I'd tell them YOUR high school nickname."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

While Dee and I were arguing, I look over and I see John and Randy chuckling. I guess we reminded them of themselves.

"So, is there anything else you wanna know about my girl?" Dee-Lo asked.

"Well, now that you mention it…"

I would have gladly answered whatever question John had on his mind, but "Don't Mess With" by Nicki Minaj started playing and you KNOW how I am when it comes to music. I gotta dance! I would have apologized for walking out on them, but the beat was doing the talking for me.

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

I didn't know what it was about her, but I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Girl was burnin' up the dance floor and, just like last time, everyone was cheering her one with one exception… I was cheering, too. Probably the loudest out of anyone. I wonder if she knows that this used to be Victoria's ring music and that she danced to it, too. Either way, I think Gwen could blow her out of the water… on the dance floor, anyway. I think what I focused on most was her face. I could tell that she was completely lost in the music and she didn't want to be found. When the song ended, she looked like she was coming out of a trance before she waved to us. She was walking our way when this one dude came up to her.

"Damn, girl! You looked too fine out there!" The guy told her and she didn't look too interested in talking to him. He was about Randy's height and built like David Otunga except he was bald.

"Uh… thanks. Now I need to get back to my friends." She said. She was being real nice to the guy even though he was being too touchy-feely with her.

"Baby, if you can move that good on the dance floor, I'd like to see your moves in my bedroom."

"And I'd like to see you burst into flames the next time you walk past a candle. You smell like a liquor store!"

I see Gwen walking away from this guy, but he was relentless! He grabs her by the arm and hold onto it so tight, she let out a scream.

"You got till the count of ten to let go of me or I'll do something you're gonna regret! **NINE!**"

Damn! The fact that she just skipped 1 through 8 told me it was time to act! No means no and Randy and I were more than happy to teach him that lesson except Dee-Lo held us back. Then, she pulls out her cell phone and I figure the chick's gonna call 911. I was gonna find out just how wrong I was when the drunk dude spoke again.

"Whatcha gonna do, babe? Scream? Slap me? Or call a bouncer?" He laughed.

"The last one's a good idea… but not for me…" The next thing I knew, Gwen rears her right leg back and kicks this guy so hard, I think I heard his crown jewels splat inside his pants. Okay, I know I don't like the guy... but I still cringed. NO guy wants to feel that! That made him let go… for a minute. I dunno HOW, but he managed to recover and lunge at Gwen and the look on his face wasn't a "lemme hold you, baby" kinda look. But we were all about to see that she had more than just dance moves. Gwen sidestepped drunk loser and kicked him in the back of the head and that sent him into the bar.

"Yeah, kick his ass!" I heard someone shouting. I look over… and it's Dee-Lo with her phone. Now, I thought she was gonna call 911… but she's… shooting video!? This girl is a trip! Anyway, I focus back on Gwen and drunk dude and he grabs a bottle and smashes it against the bar. He charges her with his new weapon, but Gwen just dodged easily before kicking it out of his hand and then drop kicking him in the stomach I was about to cheer when the dude sucker punched Gwen in the face and the crowd let out a loud **"OOOOH!"**

"Oh, he done did it now!" Dee-Lo said.

I almost went into Bad, bad Man when she said that, then I remembered… "Oh, yeah, fight!" I see Gwen holding her cheek and the look in her eyes… that look reminded me of Randy when he got pissed. What happened next, well… let's just say I was glad Dee-Lo was shooting this because Gwen jumped onto this dude, knocked him flat on his back and proceed to beat the shit outta him! I mean, girl went nuts! The crowd around us erupted and Dee handed me her phone. She went over to pull Gwen off the dude and I almost felt sorry for him… almost. That was when the bouncers finally came over and asked what was going on. Drunk dude tried to blame Gwen for it all but everyone else there told the truth and he got thrown out. Good, because if they didn't I was gonna.

"It's over, girl! You gotta calm down!" But Gwen was still hot and Dee literally had to pull her out of the club. "Let's bolt!"

She and Gwen rush out of the club leaving me and Randy to wonder… what the Hell happened!? I look to the door and I see Gwen and Dee getting into their car and drive off… again! I push my way through the crowd and I'm too late to catch them. Okay, forget what I said about Vegas.

**"Oh, COME ON!"** I shout to the heavens as Randy ran up behind me.

"Lemme guess…"

"Yup… she's gone again." I say in total defeat. "On the bright side, at least I got to thank her for saving me. Well, my plans are shot to pieces. Might as well head back to…

"What's that?"

I see Randy pointing at the ground and there's a woman's billfold. I pick it up and I see the I.D. tucked inside. Delores Maxwell. It's Dee-Lo's wallet but I don't hold out much hope… that is until I see a contact number in case it was ever lost or stolen. The name on there was "Sophie".

_"Maybe..."_ I thought. I could tell Randy was looking over my shoulder and he saw the smirk on my face.

"You know, you're gonna have to return that to Dee-Lo, right?" He smirked. "Who knows… maybe her friend might be there, too."

"I hope she is."

"So are you gonna do it tonight?"

"Nope, tomorrow…" I said as I put the billfold in my pocket. "And this time, I won't choke."

* * *

The Next Day…

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

I dunno how I slept after last night, but I woke up to little Thunder licking my face. I giggled and scratched his ears.

"Who needs an alarm clock with you around, huh?" I smile. Thunder and Dee-Lo could always make me feel better after crap goes down. It was 5 A.M. and I turn on my light that lit up the guest room I was being put up in. I sat up in my bed wondering if everything that happened last night was just some weird dream.

"It didn't happen… did it?" I let out a huge yawn as I reached for my glasses. Of course, at that time in the morning, you don't really have your full coordination and your hands just go every which way. Mine reached for my glasses, but they hit something that felt like paper. I grab it and it's a poster of John Cena… with something written on it in black ink:

_**"To My Favorite Member of the Cenation. Keep it real, baby girl! Love, John!"**_

"Oh, my…" I find my glasses, finally, and put them on because I had to be sure I was reading what I thought I was reading. "It was real! It was all real!" I jumped up screaming… and then remembered that nobody else got up as early as I did, so I shut up. All of last night's memories ran through my head… including the club. "Oh, man!" Yeah, I remember that dude and the fight. It's been years since I blew up like that and I wished I could forget it. I guess Thunder knew something was on my mind because I heard him whimper. "Huh? Oh, sorry. I'm fine. Let's get you to the bathroom."

I go downstairs and let Thunder out to do his business. After he came back in, I went back upstairs to take my own shower. A few hours later, I was already dressed in some blue jeans with hand drawn flowers on the cuffs, a red one-shoulder tank top with matching headband and red and white K-Swiss. I was listening to my iPod when I heard a knock on my door.

"Girl, Aunt Sophie's got breakfast ready! You comin' down?" It was Dee.

"Yeah, I'll be right there!"

That was when the smell hit me. Mmmm. After last night, I could use some home cooking and her Aunt Sophie can throw down in the kitchen! While we ate breakfast, I could tell Dee was still riding on her high last night. I mean, yeah, going to a WWE LIVE event is a big deal.

"Okay, so what's on tap for the rest of the week?" I ask her.

"You asking me?" Dee asked mid sip.

"No, I was talkin' to my dog." I smirk. "Yeah, I'm asking you."

"Well, I dunno about the rest of the week, but I saw on the website that they were gonna have Smackdown! this Friday in town. I was gonna try to score tickets if you're down."

I had to think about it for a second, but… it sounded like fun.

"Sure, but, this time… no clubbing. Just Smackdown! and straight back. I don't wanna have a repeat performance of last night."

"Girl, last night was off the hook! Even your fight." She smirked.

"I really don't wanna relive that. In fact, I'd like to forget it ever happened." That was when I saw the look on Dee's face. It told me that she did… something and whatever this something was, I wasn't gonna like it. "Dee… what did you do?"

"Um…"

I waited for her to answer but the doorbell rang.

_"Saved by the bell… literally."_ I think to myself. "I'll get it." I get up from the table and walk to the front door wondering who it could be at this time of day. "The garbage man ain't making house calls now, is he?" I shout back to the kitchen. I open the wood door and see a guy standing on the other side of the screen door with a HUGE bunch of flowers in front of him. It covered his face and I couldn't see which delivery service he belonged. Come to think of it, I didn't even see a truck outside. "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a Miss Gwen? Is she here?" He asked in a voice of authority.

"Who's asking?"

"I have a delivery from a Mr. John Cena. He wanted me to give this to the young woman he owes his life to."

I couldn't believe it. Flowers from the Dr. of Thuganomics! Can this week get any better?

"That's me, then. Thank you." I take the flowers and marveled at the different colored roses. I give them a sniff and when I look up at the delivery guy, I jumped back. "John!?"

"Hi." He waved with that stupid grin… and those dimples.

"John… not that I'm complaining, but… how did you know I was here?"

"Well… you told me. Kinda." He chuckled nervously. Okay, I've seen him when he's all confident, but he's kinda cute like this, too.

"No, If I remember right, I told you I was staying with my friend's aunt. I never gave you an address."

"I know, I know… but you kinda didn't need to. You see, there's another reason I came by." I watched as he reached into his pocket and pulled out Dee-Lo's billfold. "I followed up on Dee-Lo's contact number. You said her aunt's name was Sophie so… I followed a hunch." He shrugged.

Okay, this is just way too freaky to be just fate.

"Nice bit of detective work, Sherlock."

"It was more like Encyclopedia Brown, but thanks." We both shared a laugh when I heard Dee-Lo squeak behind me. I just shook my head at the second time my best friend was rendered mute. "John, you wanna give Dee her wallet back before she has a stroke?"

John just flashed a smile at both of us and handed Dee her missing billfold.

"You can breathe now!" I yell at her.

"Uh… yeah, thanks for this." Dee finally said. She had me worried there for a second.

"Oh, you wanna come in for a minute?" I ask him.

"Yeah, I would."

After I introduce John to Dee's Aunt Sophie and I find a… steel drum big enough for the flowers, (I said the bouquet was huge), the three of us go to the living room where a little gremlin began barking at the strange visitor.

"Knock it off!" I scold. "I'm really sorry. He's just really protective of me." I watched as John leaned down to look at Thunder and he just smiled. Oddly enough, it made him calm down. John put his hand out for Thunder to sniff and he ended up licking it.

"He's pretty cool. What's his name?" He asked as he petted my little Terrier.

"Thunder." Then John gave this "what the fuck" look and I just laughed.

"Before you ask… I didn't name him." And then I looked at Dee-Lo.

"Uh… I don't think I wanna know." John held up his hands in surrender and laughed. "Anyway, I was wondering if you two had anything planned for today."

Dee, Thunder and I just looked at one another and then back at John.

"Actually we were gonna go upstairs and have a threesome when you showed up." Dee-Lo blurted out.

**"DEE!"** I grabbed a pillow and hid my face in embarrassment. "John, she's kidding." My voice muffled by the throw pillow.

"I'm just playin' girl! Lighten up!" Dee laughed. "But, no, we're not doing anything today."

"Good. Because I was hoping you both had time to meet some of the guys. Like a private meet and greet."

Okay, first I get tickets to Raw and now we're meeting the Superstars in person! If this is a dream, I never wanna wake up!

"Sure, I'm up for that." I agreed and then looked down at Thunder. "Can he come? He's housebroken."

"Why not? I know he'd be a hit with some of the Divas." John grinned.

Oh, God. Stop smiling like that. Really, why can't guys like you be attracted to me? I'm always a magnet for the sickos and jackasses in the world. Oh, well; I'm not gonna dwell on that. I'm gonna have fun today!

"Wicked! Okay, Thunder! Go get y-" I just had to get a smart dog. He comes when I even hint at a leash. But I try to spell "bath" or "vet" and he does a better disappearing trick than Jimmy Hoffa!

"Yeah, he's gonna be a big hit!" John laughed. "Shall we, ladies… and gentleman?" He asked us and Thunder.

**"HELL YEAH!"** Dee and I shouted.

We all said goodbye to Aunt Sophie and get into John's rented Escalade. I get shotgun while Dee and Thunder get in the back. On the way to the hotel, I dunno why I thought of this, but it was something I had to know.

"Hey, John?"

"Yeah?"

"I know this is a rental, but do you ever… do crazy shit in it like do donuts or just go all Dukes of Hazzard in these things knowing about the whole six dollar insurance?"

John just turned to me with a weird look and I was worried I'd stuck my foot in my mouth.

"Are you kidding? **ALL THE TIME!**" He laughed. "I don't think there's a rental I've had that I haven't done a few donuts in. How about you?"

"Actually…I'm not that crazy when it comes to cars." It was the truth… to a point.

I think John could tell I was becoming a little uncomfortable so he let it go. Thank you. Well, after driving, we end up at the world Famous Peabody Hotel and I cringed a little. If you've heard of the Peabody, then you know it's most famous attraction… the Peabody Ducks. And I'm bringing in a DOG. Yeah, needless to say, Thunder will be on a VERY tight leash during this meet and greet.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

We arrive at the hotel and I get out first and quickly run around to Gwen's and Dee-Lo's doors. I open Dee's first and then Gwen's. Being the gentleman I am, I help her out like in those old-fashioned carriage rides.

"My, my. What a gentleman." She says in her Southern accent.

"Thanks my mom and dad for raising me right." I grinned back. "Shall we?" And I hold out both arms. Gwen and Dee each take an arm and we both walk in like we owned the place. Gwen just looked around and she was just in awe of the place. You'd think she'd never been here before.

"Oh, when are we gonna get to see the ducks?" Gwen asked and she had this gleam in her eyes. She just has this… innocence about her. Kinda like a little kid. And that was when she remembered something and pulled Thunder closer to her. Oh, right. Dogs… ducks… not usually a good combo.

"So where are you guys staying?" Dee asked me as we enter the elevator.

"We're on the top two floors just below the penthouse. And if I know Randy and the guys, I think most of the roster's already anxious to meet you." I grinned. I'm not kidding, word just spreads fast around here… pretty much nothing is a secret. Okay, Stephanie's real age is, but that's beside the point. Anyway, we finally arrive on my floor and I escort my two guests, three if you count Thunder, and I look down at Gwen who looked a bit nervous.

"They all wanna meet… me?" She asked and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Hey, chill. It's gonna be just fine. Most of the guys here aren't anything like you see on tv. For example…"

Dee and Gwen both look down the hall and see the Big Show coming towards them.

"No fucking way!" Dee gasped. I think Gwen was the mute one this time.

"Hey, Paul! I wanna introduce you to a couple of friends of mine." Once he's close enough, I start again. "This is Delores."

"Call me Dee-Lo. No relation." She laughed as she shook Show's huge hand. "Damn, your hand just swallowed mine up!"

"Well you know what they say about big hands." The Show smirked.

"Yeah, unfortunately, there are exceptions to the rule in his case." I laughed and the big man put me in a playful headlock. I guess that triggered something because Thunder started barking at him like he was trying to protect me. The thing is, as small as he was, he was more cute than intimidating. Paul just looked down at the little dog that probably looks like a speck from his height.

"Who's this little fella?" He chuckled.

"His name's Thunder." Gwen chuckled nervously.

"It's okay, little guy. I'm really a gentle giant." The Show put his hand down to let Thunder sniff it. One he did, the little dog walked onto his palm and he literally fit in it. "You're not even as big as a bark." He laughed as Thunder barked at him again, this time it was more playful.

"Oh, before I forget… of course, how could I forget this lady? Show, this is Gwen. Gwen, Big Show… a.k.a. Paul Wight."

"So she's the one?" Show asked.

"She's the one." I nodded proudly. I then hear a squeal and I see Gwen being picked up by Paul and placed on his left shoulder. The look on her face was priceless!

"Whoa… so this is your view of the world!" Gwen laughs.

"It's tough being at the top." Show laughed. "Oh, the rest of the guys are waiting for you in Paul's suite."

"There's another Paul?" Gwen asked and Dee just shook her head in total shame.

"Duh! Triple H! Really, girl! When we get back home, I'm giving you homework on the WWE. You are so out of the loop!"

Okay, that got me even more curious about this girl.

"Um, Gwen? Exactly when WAS the last time you watched the WWE?" I asked her.

"The last thing I remember seeing… was you leaving the WWE because of something called the Nexus?" She cringed a bit.

"That was back in 2010!" Show chuckled and his laugh was enough to shake Gwen who was still sitting on his shoulder. "Where have you been for the last couple of years?"

"Watching Family Guy." Dee-Lo blabbed. "Please don't drop her!" She begged and I had to laugh.

"Family Guy?" Show asked Gwen who now looked pretty helpless up there.

"Uh… I got nothin'." She just gave up.

"I wouldn't do that… especially to you." Show laughed. "Come on… the others are waiting!" He hands little Thunder back to Dee-lo and the five of us walk to Triple HHH's suite where some of the other Superstars were holed up. As we get closer, I hear Gwen screaming.

**"Duck… DUCK DUCK DUCK!"**

"Where? I don't see any ducks!" I said to her.

"**NO!** I'm telling **HIM** to duck before I hit the door!"

"Oh, my bad! Here, lemme put you down." And Show gently set her back on Terra Firma.

"Thanks, for the ride."

"No problem." I tried not to show it, but seeing Gwen panic like that was pretty funny and I let out a laugh.

"Oh… so not funny!" She slapped me on my arm playfully. Okay, I know she was just playin', but, damn that stung!

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, so after the weirdest piggyback ride I ever had, Show led me and Dee inside and it was a who's who of Superstars! Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Evan Bourne, Kelly Kelly, Alicia Fox, Rosa Mendes and Layla. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were there, too. And of course, Randy Orton, who came up to me first and shook both our hands.

"Glad you could make it." He smiled. You know, out of the ring, he really isn't so… I guess intimidating is the right word.

"Thanks. Sorry about ditching you and John at the club, last night." I apologized. I didn't want to, but I had to otherwise someone was gonna get hurt.

"No problem. I understand. Now, I don't think I need to introduce you to everyone…" Randy said. Maybe not to Dee, but me… yeah, I'll need it.

"Yeah, I know some of you guys. Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio I know from their WCW days. Plus I met Chris just before Raw began."

"Oh, yeah! You were the one who got lost. Guess that turned out to be a good thing, huh?" Chris chuckled as he hugged me. I saw Dee-lo look confused, but hopefully, I'd be able to explain… maybe because… uhhh…I haven't exactly told her what happened yet? Don't judge me!

"Oh, so you DO have some wrestling knowledge up there." Dee said as she poked her finger against my head. "I'm impressed!"

"I have my moments." I smirk. "Triple H, I know and Stephanie McMahon." I shake their hands.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Gwen."

"Ditto. It's like we already know you." Triple H smiled.

"Likewise. I remember R-Truth from ECW and…" Then I turn to Kofi Kingston. "And… sorry, but I don't know your name."

"Well… who do you think I am?" He asked me with a grin.

"After seeing your ring entrance… I'd say the WWE's answer to Eddy Gordo." I smile and that made everyone bust out laughing, including Kofi.

(A/N: Eddy Gordo's a character from the Tekken line of games. If you wanna know what he looks like, Google him and TELL me Kofi doesn't look like him! :D )

"Okay… hahahaha… that's the first time I've ever heard that!" He laughed. "Name's Kofi Kingston."

"Nice to meet you and I'm really sorry. But I can't help it. Jamaica… the dreads… you two could be twins! If they ever made a live action Tekken movie, they should cast you."

I watched Kofi mull over the idea and I'm not sure if he's taking me seriously or not… but they should. He's a dead ringer!

"You know… that might not be a bad idea." Kofi smirked.

"And this is Evan Bourne." John introduced to me.

"A pleasure." Evan took my hand and kissed it like John did last night. He's cute, but he doesn't make me… tingle.

"I guess the South brings out the gentleman side to you guys." I chuckle. I was about to say hi to some of the divas, but a little four-legged ball of charm beat me to it and the next thing I hear is…

"Oh, he's so cute!"

"Adorable!"

"Awwww!"

Little Thunder was scooped up into the arms of Kelly Kelly and it was now a full on cute fest. And from the looks on most of the guys, they're green with envy over all the attention my little Yorkie is getting. Usually, Thunder isn't good with crowds, but he's eating this up!

"If he could die a happy dog, he would." I chuckle to myself. "Ladies, meet Thunder. Don't ask." I laugh.

"He's just a cutie pie!" Alicia cooed.

"Is it wrong for me to say I hate that dog right now?" Chris asked and everyone laughed again.

"You wouldn't be the first guy." Dee-Lo shook her head in jest.

"Oh, damn! Where are my manners? Everyone, this is my BFF, Delores… or Dee-Lo whichever you prefer." I introduce my best friend.

I felt bad that she was getting lost in the shuffle and I couldn't see myself doing this without my partner in crime! After a round of intros and handshakes, Rey finally speaks up.

"So, Gwen, looks like you're the girl of the hour." He said with a smile.

"She is. If it wasn't for her, you guys would be planning my funeral." John then put his arm around me and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. I don't know too many black girls who actually blush, but I'm pretty sure I was.

"Cut it out, will ya? You're embarrassing me."

"Wait a minute. Gwen, what is everyone talking about? What happened last night?" Dee-Lo asked.

"Dee, remember when I got lost before the show started?" Dee-Lo nodded and I continued. "Well, I wandered into the locker room when I heard something crash and someone gagging. I peek inside and I see this guy choking so I run in and give him the Heimlich maneuver. But then, I ran out before he could thank me. Later that night at the club, I found out that the guy I saved... was him." And then I pointed my thumb up at John who just flashed a grin and… damn those dimples! Stop popping and making him look cuter!

I look over at my girl and, once again, she could pass for Billy the Bigmouth Bass' girlfriend. Her mouth is wide open and her eyes are bugged out like there's no tomorrow! When she finally found her voice, she just said…

"Lemme get this straight. You're telling me that you saved JOHN CENA'S life? THIS John Cena? This one here?" Dee-Lo chirped as she pointed at him over and over.

"Yeah. Can you believe it?" I asked my best friend.

"I'm gonna have to. You can't make this shit up." Dee said as she laughed.

**END OF CHAPTER 3**

Okay, so this meet and greet's going off without a hitch, but come on… things can't be this good forever. Lemme know whatcha think with some love and I might get to work on chapter 4. ;) Till then, PEACE!


	4. Confessions at the Mall

Hey, Sorry about the late update. My inspiration was slowed to a crawl. Plus… is my story that bad because I haven't had any reviews since my last update. I hope this chapter changes things a bit… okay, a LOT. ;)

**Disclaimer:** As usual, WWE-don't own...WWE wrestlers-don't own...John Cena-**I WISH I OWNED!** But alas, I do not. WHERE'S THE JUSTICE? Now that that's out of the way, **ON WITH THE FIC!**

Last time...

_"Dee, remember when I got lost before the show started?" Dee-Lo nodded and I continued. "Well, I wandered into the locker room when I heard something crash and someone gagging. I peek inside and I see this guy choking so I run in and give him the Heimlich maneuver. But then, I ran out before he could thank me. Later that night at the club, I found out that the guy I saved... was him." And then I pointed my thumb up at John who just flashed a grin and… damn those dimples! Stop popping and making him look cuter!_

_I look over at my girl and, once again, she could pass for Billy the Bigmouth Bass' girlfriend. Her mouth is wide open and her eyes are bugged out like there's no tomorrow! When she finally found her voice, she just said…_

_"Lemme get this straight. You're telling me that you saved JOHN CENA'S life? THIS John Cena? This one here?" Dee-Lo chirped as she pointed at him over and over._

_"Yeah. Can you believe it?" I asked my best friend._

_"I'm gonna have to. You can't make this shit up." Dee said as she laughed._

* * *

-Triple H's Hotel Suite-

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

I'm really surprised at how at ease these two girls are around the guys, but then again, these Superstars are really great with fans. While they mix it up, I'm really getting to see their different personalities. Dee-Lo is obviously the more outgoing of the two and Gwen… she seems more comfortable hanging back a bit. But lemme tell ya, you wouldn't know it if you saw her dancing last night. She was the picture of confidence. Seeing Gwen last night on that dance floor and seeing her now just makes me want to know more about this girl. And I might get that chance because Rosa just brought it up.

"So, why don't you chicas tell us a little about yourselves?"

Gwen looked a bit uneasy, almost shy. It's actually cute on her.

"There's not a whole lot to tell, really." She said softly and that made her friend sigh heavily. I take it that she's been through this before.

"Girl, you say that every time somebody asks you that question! Don't be so humble; just tell them something. They wanna know about you."

"Dee, they want to know about both of us." She chuckled.

Dee-Lo just rolled her eyes and shook her head at her friend before turning to the other wrestlers.

"Fine. My name's Delores Maxwell, a.k.a. Dee-Lo, I'm 32 years old from Greenville, Mississippi, I work as a secretary in a doctor's office, I have a boyfriend, a goldfish named Raiden and my favorite actor is Wesley Snipes."

Damn! And she said all that in one breath. She comically gasped and turned back to her best friend.

"Okay. Your turn."

"Dee..." She laughed.

"What? Gwen, they wanna know about you; you're the hero. They were just being polite when they asked about 'us'."

"Come on; I know that's not true." Gwen answered back.

The vibe I was getting from her right then, well, you know when you're the new kid and you have to face the class and introduce yourself at your first day in school? She kinda looked like that. I watched her take a deep breath before she started talking.

"I'm not all that interesting. Except for the age and hometown, I work as a hip-hop teacher at my local dance studio, you've met my dog already and he's spoiled rotten now. Little con artist." That made everyone laugh. "My favorite actor is Bruce Lee. I could watch his movies all day. And I… don't have a boyfriend."

Now she really looks uneasy. I don't want this to go south so I better change the subject quick.

"Okay, now I know you ladies don't wanna be stuck inside all day. Is there anything you wanna do?"

"I vote for shopping!" Dee piped up. As usual, the other divas agreed but Gwen didn't look sold on the idea.

"I'm not really the shopping type. Unless we were going somewhere like Best Buy, then I'm in." Gwen said honestly.

An electronics geek. Okay, I can go along with that.

"We can drop Thunder off at Aunt Sophie's."

"Aww, Can't he come with us, Gwen?" Kelly Kelly asked.

"We promise to watch him, please?" Alicia begged and little Thunder whimpered up at his master. This little guy was turning on his charm… I need to take a few notes. I guess it's working because I heard a low grumble out of Gwen.

"I hate when you do that. See this is why I shoulda went with a pet turtle. You're too cute! Okay, you can come with us and you divas do realize he'll probably con you into buying him a new chew toy or something."

"We don't mind." Layla smiled.

"Okay, so we'll be back later and meet you guys at the gym." I said to the rest before looking down at Gwen and Dee-Lo. "Of course you're both invited."

"Lemme see… hard bodies covered in sweat, clingy shorts and shirtless… I'm in!"

Gwen just shook her head in jest.

"What the hell, if she's in, so am I. Might actually pick up a few moves."

With that, Gwen, Dee, Thunder, the Divas and I all head out and go downstairs to the lobby. When we stepped off the elevator, I caught sight of three people I really didn't want to see.

"Come on, let's get out of…"

"Yo! Cena!" Shouted that obnoxious voice.

Oh, great! I need this like a hole in the head. I was hoping they didn't see us, but that's shot to hell. I look down at Dee and Gwen.

"Um, Gwen? Dee? Remember when I said that a lot of the Superstars aren't like they appear on t.v.?" When they nodded, I went on. "Well, here comes the flip side of that coin." They better keep their cool if they know what's good for them. "What do you want?"

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? John Cena tryin' to act like he's tha playa of all playas! Surrounded by divas and… and who are these two honeys?"

Oh, man! I really didn't want the girls to be hassled by these guys.

"Not like it's any of your business, this is Dee-Lo and Gwen. They're friends of mine." And to prove my point, I put my arms around both their shoulders. I guess I put my left arm around Gwen a little bit tighter and, unfortunately, they noticed because I see Darren looking at her.

"I dunno why someone as fine as you is hanging out with Cena." Darren smirked as he took her hand. "Name's Darren Young." He went to kiss it, but Gwen just yanked it away. "Yo, what is your problem, baby girl? I say ditch the go-cart and step into a stretch limo."

Okay, I never thought I'd see a black girl turn green, but Gwen looked like she was two seconds away from tossing her cookies all over Darren.

"Okay, one, my name ain't 'baby girl' and two, you're being kinda generous, ain't ya? 'Cause from where I'm standing, you're more like a skateboard."

Groans could be heard from everyone and I had to bite back a laugh. That was hella funny.

"Oh, ha ha ha. You think you're so clever. Do you know who you're talking to?" Titus O'Neil asked Gwen next.

"The poor man's answer to Terry Crews minus the acting talent?" She shot back.

Okay, now this time, I had to laugh out loud because he does kinda look like the guy.

"Okay, that was a good one." I laugh.

"Aight! Lookee here, little lady! You obviously don't know who you're talking smack to." A.W… always looking to throw his two cents in. This oughta be good. "You, my dear, are in the presence of All World Productions greatest acquisition! You are looking at the greatest tag team the WWE has ever produced. You.. are looking at the Prime Time Players and they're worth…!"

"Millions of dollars… yeah, I know. I don't really **care**, but I know. And as for your name, it's more like the Played Out Players." Gwen retorted. Man, this girl is laying into them. "Look, how about you go back to making root beer and we'll be on our way."

Gwen turned to walk away and A.W. grabbed her by the arm.

"Man, nobody told you you could walk away!"

Man, I just lost it! I quickly got into his face and squeezed his arm until he let her go. He was screaming like the little punk he is and it felt real good to shut him up.

**"You don't ever put your hands on her! Do you hear me!?"** I growled. I dunno what's going on with me, but seeing this asswipe grab Gwen like that… I-I just snapped. I guess that surprised everyone judging by the looks on their faces. "And that goes for your played out tag team!"

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Okay… whoa! Just whoa! I've seen John pissed off before but this is like a whole new level piss-tivity! I watch as John let A&P, or whatever his name is, go and it looked like they were about to hash it out when A.W. threw the drink he had in his hand in John's face temporarily blinding him.

"John! Look out!" I shout.

As the bald douche bag in the bad suit attacked John, Titus and Darren grab me and Dee. The other divas step in and tried to fight off A.W. and these other two guys, but they manage to keep up their attack.

"Get off me, jackass!" I heard Dee scream at the bigger dude.

"Now, baby. Don't fight it. I know you want me!" Darren said as he tried to kiss me. Ugh! I think I'd rather kiss Thunder. He has better breath. I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't wanna go off on nobody but they making me go off on somebody!

**"KISS THIS!"**

I rammed my elbow into Darren's face and back kicked him in the shin before I kneed him in the groin. That made him fall over and grab what was left of his manhood so I ran over to help Dee. While Titus was preoccupied, I kicked him in the shin which made him bend over, and I stood him back up with an uppercut before I judo flipped his ass! John was fighting with A.W. when another voice broke up the commotion.

**"What the hell is going on here!?"**

You can't hear that voice and not know who it was because I looked over at the elevator and who's walking over? The big boss himself… Mr. Vince McMahon!

"I asked a question! What's going on in here!?"

John pushed A.W. away from him as Layla stepped up to answer.

"Mr. McMahon, they attacked John and those two girls. They were just defending themselves!"

"Please! You're gonna believe them? John attacked us because we wanted to talk to his new friends. Guess he was jealous that we'd steal them away from him." A.W. lied with a smirk.

"He's lying! A.W. grabbed Gwen then his goons attacked the girls after he jumped me!" John protested.

"Man, we didn't start nothing! It's this bitch's fault for not accepting my handshake." He pointed at me and it took all I had to keep from snapping.

"You got one more time to call me that!" I say to him.

"Everyone, be quiet!" Mr. McMahon shouted. "Now I want someone to tell me the truth about what happened and I wanna know now!"

"I can tell you exactly what happened." I piped in. This was going on long enough and I just wanted to get out of there.

"Just what are you gonna say? It's your word against ours." Titus smirked.

"And I thought you couldn't make me more ashamed to be black. I stand corrected." I shake my head. "Anyway, you're wrong. It's your word against the word of 9 witnesses."

"What witnesses?" A.W. asked.

"One." I pointed to myself.

"Two." Dee followed suit and stood next to me.

"Three." John took his place at my other side. "You okay?"

I just nodded to let him know I was.

"Four. Five. Six. Seven." The four divas that were with us all chimed in and little Thunder barked in Kelly Kelly's arms.

"Oh, he's number Eight."

"Yeah… eight. I bet Benji here's a real credible witness." Darren smirked. "Who's witness number nine?"

"I never said it was a 'who." I smirked and pointed up to the surveillance camera that was pointed at us. "Nine. Oh, and if you still wanna claim you were the victims, go ahead. I'm pretty sure the manager will be more than happy to give Mr. McMahon an instant replay." A.W. and his crew weren't bumpin' their gums anymore, I bet.

"A.W, you're already on thin ice with me after those Kobe Bryant and Mother Theresa comments! If I look on that tape and find any truth to their claims…"

"Man, forget this! Titus, Darren! We out!" I saw A.W. lead his cronies out of the lobby and I couldn't be happier.

"Yeah, you need to use those millions of dollars of yours to buy some class!" I shout at them. I maybe be shy at times, but I'm always gonna speak my mind.

"I'm terribly sorry about all this. I hope their behavior doesn't make you reflect badly on the WWE as a whole." Mr. McMahon apologized.

"No, not the WWE… but they do give the good black men in this world a bad name." I say frankly. "Look, it's fine. As long as we never cross paths again, I'm more than willing to forget it happened." I look over at Thunder who hasn't stopped barking during the whole melee and pet him. "Oh, you were gonna tear those assholes a new one, weren't you?" I smile as my dog wagged his tail. "Good boy."

"Hey, why don't I meet you girls outside at the car? I need to talk to Mr. McMahon about something."

"Okay. Don't be too long. I never thought I'd say this in a million years… but shopping actually sounds good right now."

"And all it took for you to come around was a fight." Dee laughed as she led me and the other divas outside. I did wonder what John had to talk to his boss about… but it wasn't my business so I just shrugged it off.

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

"Hey, Mr. McMahon. I need to ask you a favor."

"Does it have to do with those two young ladies?"

"Actually, it does. Well, more specifically, one of them. I'm not sure you heard about what happened last night at Raw…"

"Are you kidding me? Everyone's talking about it. To be honest, Stephanie just told me about it."

I should have known. Like I said… nothing stays a secret in the WWE. But this is good. Since he knows, maybe he'll be more receptive to my idea.

"Yeah, well, about that. You saw the girl with the glasses? She's the one I'm talking about. I was wondering…"

* * *

Later that day…

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, after that fiasco back at the Peabody, we finally arrive at the Oak Court Mall to do some shopping. I know I said I'd welcome it, earlier, but … what can I say? I'm a tomboy at heart. Shopping's not really my thing.

"I say we totally hit Forever 21. Or maybe Hot Topic!" Layla suggested. I just looked at her like… huh?

"How about DSW?" Dee added.

"I vote for FootLocker." I raised my hand… then slowly put it back down.

Even with John there, I felt out of place. Shopping for clothes and make up… ehh. I am looking forward to going to PetSmart because I love watching Thunder play with the toys there. I look over at John and I could tell by the expression on his face that he didn't look all too excited about mall trolling with a group of women, even if they were Divas. I felt for the guy, ya know? Because we all know what a lone guy in a group of girls on a shopping trip is used for… pack mule! I turn to John and mouth and "I'm sorry" to him and he walked over.

"Why are you sorry?" He asked with a smile. Does he have any idea the affect his smile has on people And do I need to revisit the dimples?

"Well, you're stuck with us and most likely you're gonna end up being our pack mule for the day. I guess I feel guilty."

The Dr. Of Thunganomics just chuckled and put his hand on my shoulder that didn't have a strap on it. When he did, I felt just how warm and gentle his touch was. He could have kept it there as long as he wanted.

"Aw, don't feel bad. I wanted to come." John reassured me. "Besides, this'll give me a chance to get to know you a little more."

Did I hear him right? He wanted to get to know me? I'm still kinda awestruck over it all. Maybe it's the celebrity or the fact that he's just oh, so fine. Either way, I smile back and it doesn't go unnoticed by the others.

"Sorry, John. But we need to borrow Gwen for a bit." Kelly Kelly giggled. The next thing I know, I'm being pulled with Dee and the other Divas towards one of those… ick… boutiques. I saw her take my little dog, leash and all, and handed him to John. Thunder gave a small disappointed whimper when he found out he wasn't gonna be cuddled by the Divas anymore. "Maybe you can take Thunder to PetSmart and have some male bonding time."

"Okay, fine. Just don't take too long, okay?" John said.

"We won't!" The other girls agreed.

"Um, am I allowed to protest?" I ask.

"Yeah, but you're outnumbered, so…" Rosa laughed.

"Girl, how often do you get a chance to shop with the Divas!? Come on! It'll be fun!" Dee said happily.

I didn't even have time to groan or even throw a fit because I was being pulled by four Divas and my best friends. The sight alone made John laugh I guess because he knew I would have been kicking and screaming had it been any other situation. I mouth the words "help me" to him and he shouted back:

"Have fun!"

I then mouthed the words "you suck" and he laughed even harder. Since throwing a tantrum wasn't gonna help me out of this, I just sucked it up and went into the shoe boutique and I felt like I walked into Barbie's closet.

"Ooh! Check out these shoes!" Layla squealed as she held up a pair of high heels with rhinestone studs on the toes.

"Mmm! My man would love to see me in these!" I heard Dee say. She was eyeing a pair of candy apple red stilettos and the price tag was more than her budget allowed. "Oh, well… window shopping's fun, too."

I was just walking around and picking on one pair of shoes after another and nothing here catches my eye. Not a single pair of Chuck Taylor All Stars in the bunch… it's official; I'm in hell. Alicia noticed that I wasn't really having any fun and came over to me.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She asked.

"It's nothing. I really appreciate this but, this… isn't me." I said truthfully. "I'm more Nikes and Reeboks instead of Jimmy Choo and Menudo... uh…"

"Manolo Blahnik?"

"Yeah, what you said." I chuckled.

"It's alright. Besides… uh, that's not the real reason we dragged you here."

Okay, so they pulled me into this… place and their M.O. isn't to shop? Then, excuse my language, WHY THE FUCK DID Y'ALL BRING ME HERE!?

"So, why did you bring me here?"

"To talk." Layla smirked.

"And we couldn't 'talk' in front of John because…"

"Because it's about him… mostly." Rosa chimed in. "You like him, don't you?" She smiled. Soon all the Divas and even Dee had these Cheshire cat looking grins on their faces.

"Well…" I stall.

"She's so jonesing for him!" Dee interrupted. Now you see why everyone calls her Motormouth. I just looked down and a small smile crossed my lips. Yeah, I was crushin' on the guy harder than the Hulk at a demolition derby, but I didn't want THEM to know that. But I guess my posture told them everything. Damn body language.

"Okay, I do like him." I admit and the girls just squeal making every salesperson look at them either weirdly or in awe because they were Divas. "You do know you're not getting out of here without signing some autographs now." I smirk.

"Small price to pay." Kelly Kelly nodded. "Anyway, this is great because I think he likes you, too."

"Yeah, right." I say plainly. "What would a guy like him want with me? I mean, I don't look anything like you guys. You're all gorgeous and I'm… well… not."

"Oh, come on. Don't say that. You're really cute." Layla nodded.

Yeah… cute. I'm always… cute. I guess I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve because when I looked up, all the girls looked at me with concern in their eyes. I look over at my best friend half expecting her to blab, but she just nodded letting me know she wouldn't say anything this time. I mouth a thanks to her and breathed out a long sigh before I told them something I hoped I'd keep between me and Dee.

"That's kinda the problem." I say. "I guess I should explain. See… I didn't always look like this." I took out my wallet and pulled out a photo I dreaded looking at because it brought back a lot of bad memories. But for them to understand where I'm coming from, I had to do it. "I used to look like this."

It was a picture of me. I was 13 and I was… Hell, I'm not gonna sugar coat it, I was fat.

"I was picked on and made fun of pretty much up until I was 13. I didn't talk to anyone… kept to myself most of the time. Dee-Lo's been my best… and really only real friend since 1st grade and she's the one who got me to change." I had to take a breath and compose myself. The absolute last thing I wanted to do is cry in front of them. "She spent that whole summer literally whipping me into shape and by the time we started high school, I was down to 120 lbs. I thought things were gonna great, ya know? Go through high school as one of those popular girls. But instead, I was barely noticed, especially by the guys. And when I was noticed, it was always as a friend or running buddy or, worse… 'cute'. I didn't really come out of my shell until college and evolve into the nut you see before you." I had to smirk. Hey, I am a nut. "Long story short, guys don't like me like that. They'll always see me as… cute. And last time I checked 'cute' doesn't get you dates. Having what you guys have does and unfortunately, that's not me. I'm not girly in any sense of the word."

"She really isn't. Her idea of fashion is wearing black jeans instead of blue." Dee chimed in and I couldn't get mad at her because she's absolutely right.

"She's right. Makeup, hair, fashion… it's just confusing to me. I dunno. I just feel like I'm in a world where all guys want is eye candy and I'm that little black rotten piece at the bottom of the bag that gets thrown away."

"Well, have you ever tried to dress up?" Alicia asked sincerely.

"Once. I went to my older brother's wedding and I actually put on… a dress." I shuddered. "I had on the whole nine yards, dress hair, nails, makeup… all of it. Someone else did it for me because if I did, I'd have looked like a train wreck. Anyway, I looked nice enough. During the reception… not one guy came up to me. I spent the whole time sitting at the table playing on my iPhone. That one incident told me all I needed to know. Dressing up doesn't even help so I went back to wearing what I liked."

"Did that help?" Kelly Kelly asked.

"Yes… and no." I said. "Since I started going clubbin' with Dee, I always wore jeans and sneakers and whenever I heard a good song, I just danced. Apparently, I got attention from that… the bad kind. I dunno what it is but the ones who actually are into me, are wackos and assholes like those two we ran into in the lobby."

"And that dude at the club last night." Dee piped up.

I sighed heavily.

"I was trying to forget that one… which reminds me…" I look at Dee who looked like the cat that swallowed… forget the canary, she swallowed the whole fucking birdhouse. "You were gonna tell me something about that night. What was it?"

"Well… I, uh… maybe, kinda sorta recorded the whole thing with my smartphone and uploaded it to YouTube?" She chuckled nervously.

"Okay to quote Stone Cold and pretty much the whole WWE universe… **WHAT!?**" I had a feeling she did something like that.

"Hey, on the upside, since I uploaded it, you got over 2 million hits! You're viral, girl… and that doesn't make this any better, does it?"

"Not really. It's bad enough that I attract all the losers in the world." I sigh. "Just once, I want one of the good ones to like me."

"Like John?" Rosa asked with a smile. I just nod meekly. So, Dee and all the Divas swallowed me up in a group hug and I felt myself tearing up. I never told that to anyone outside Dee; it feels good to have more than one girlfriend to talk to. There was more, but I didn't want to go any deeper than that. When the hug stopped and they looked at my face and saw that a few escaped my brown eyes.

"Hey, no tears." Layla said as she handed me a tissue. I thanked her for it and took my glasses off to wipe my eyes. "Look, I know what you're thinking and there's nothing wrong with you. The right guy's gonna come along when you least expect it."

"Yeah, well I hope you're right and it's before I end up in a nursing home." I chuckle, but I was really serious. At this rate, they'll make a movie about me… the 90 Year-Old Virgin. Okay, don't think about it. You're out with your best friend in the world and the Divas. Have some fun. "Hey, we're supposed to be shopping, right?"

"Yeah, and, I like John and all… but he is our designated pack mule for the day. Let's make him EARN HIS KEEP!" Dee yelled and we laughed. Man, I feel sorry for the guy.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, it's almost noon and those girls are STILL shopping? I am so fucked! I know I'm gonna be carrying half the store outta here. What really sucked was the fact that they had Gwen and I still haven't really gotten a chance to talk to her yet, not really. Well, while they shop til they drop, I went to PetSmart and hung out with my dawg, Thunder. I gotta hand it to the little guy, he's a chick magnet. Well, so am I, but he just multiplied it. I was hit on by a lot of women in the store. News about my divorce is a hot topic especially with all the single ladies. I was flattered by all the attention, but, to be honest, kinda have my eyes on someone else. Anyway I'm sitting on a bench near food court while Thunder played with his new squeak toy. It was a little red rubber rain boot. Try saying that five times fast. I look at Gwen's dog playing like he doesn't have a care in the world and I pick him up.

"Hey, if things don't work out with your master… can I chill at your crib?" I ask Thunder. He just looked up at me and licked my nose. "Thanks, man." I smile.

"Having fun?" I hear Gwen ask and, sure enough, the girls pretty much bought out the store. Okay, maybe not, but close enough. Most of them had bags all along their arms. Gwen, thankfully, didn't have that much so I ran up to her with Thunder still in my arms.

"I'm carrying her stuff!"

"But she didn't buy that much." Rosa pointed out.

"That's **why** I'm carrying her stuff." I grin and the girls just groaned. "Anyway, what kept you guys? I'm starved and I know Thunder is, too. Right?" When Thunder barked, I knew he had my back. "See, he's hungry, too."

I heard Gwen laugh as she took her dog back and it was like, I dunno. Even though, I loved Liz, there was always something missing…and I feel like, maybe Gwen has it.

"Okay, so where should we go?" Layla asked.

"I think we should let Gwen pick the place. So, how about it?" I turn to the girl and I could see the wheels turning in her head until she spoke up.

"To be honest, I'm in the mood for Chinese." She said and everyone seemed cool with the idea.

"Sounds good to me."

"I'm in."

"Me, too."

"Good, I know this awesome place!" Dee replied. Somehow, I figured she knew all the hot spots. "We can go back to the hotel and drop our stuff off before going."

Great, maybe I can finally get some alone time with Gwen. Maybe pump her for some information. What? I wanna know what they were talking about. After packing the cars up with all their shit… still have no idea how we pulled that off… we drove back to the hotel and as they went up to put their things away, I hang back and pull Gwen off to the side.

"So, how was it shopping with the Divas?" I asked. "Did you guys try on any lingerie?" I wiggle my eyebrows.

"Oh, get out!" She laughed. Really, I could listen to her laugh all day. "We just went shoe and clothes shopping. It was okay, I guess."

Okay, I don't really care about clothes. I just wanna know if they talked about me.

"So, did y'all talk about me?" I grin. I know she likes my dimples.

"Now, I can't talk about our gossip… especially not to the gossip subject."

"So you did talk about me? All good, I hope?"

"Mmmmaybe." She smirked. "Why are you so interested?"

"Oh, no reason." I walk a little close to her and close the gap between us, but not much. I don't wanna make her uncomfortable. But then, I catch a whiff of her perfume. Man, she smells good. I look at her with my baby blues and flash that grin she seems to like so much. My voice lowers a bit and I say: "Maybe I want to know if **you're** interested."

She probably doesn't realize how coy she looks when she stares down and smile like that, but it just does something to me.

"Well, I-"

"Papa Song! Here we come!" I hear her friend Dee shout and I'm thinking _"Not now! I was just getting somewhere!"_ "Hey, quit trying to mack on my girl!" She jokes.

"Dee!" Gwen squeaked.

"Hey, I wasn't mackin' on her." _"Well I was, you just came in at the worst time."_

"Sure, John." Layla smirked. "Now, come on. I'm getting hungry."

"Oh, Gwen, Stephanie offered to puppy sit Thunder while we're out. Don't be surprised if she offers you money for him." Alicia laughed.

"Ain't enough money in the world." Gwen smirked. "As crazy as he is, he's still my little baby."

Okay, on the count of three. 1-2-3…

"Awwww!" The girls cooed. Do I know women or what?

"Okay, ladies assembled, insanely handsome man present…" I can hear some of the Divas groan, but it's cool. "And little dog is upstairs getting spoiled rotten. Now, let's get our MSG on!"

"Lawd, I hope you don't make that your new catch phrase." Gwen laughed.

"Only if you want me to." I grin. I hold my arm out to Gwen and all of us head out to Papa Song's. I never heard of the place, but if Dee says it's good, who am I to argue? Maybe Confucius will smile down on me and give me a good fortune in my cookie.

**END OF CHAPTER 4**

Well, you know one of Gwen's secrets. She has more, but that's for another chapter. And Just what does john have planned as a reward for his ebony savior? I'll let you in on that next time. So, leave me lots of love and pass it on! Till next time, PEACE!


	5. Baring It All Kinda

Hey, guys! I'm back with another update and I'm also here so send out some love! So here's a WWE Universe shout-out to my reviewers, **JadeRose1, Keeper Of Oz, M.j's Place** and my NEWEST reviewer… appropriate name… **CENATIONGIRL22**! Thanks, guys and keep spreading the love and the word on this fic!

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING WWE related nor do I own any possible ACTUAL places. Wait, do the DVD's count? Because if they do, I'm screwed! LOL! Anyway, I do own all the unfamiliar people and places so with that out of the way…

LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED! :D

* * *

-Papa Song's Chinese Restaurant-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Man, I love this place. The first time I came to Memphis with Dee, she brought me here because I had a taste for something different. I never had Chinese before then and she thought it would be a good experience for me; was she ever right. I'm telling you, this place has it all: the authentic look; it was like Chinese New Year every day. The waitresses had the beautiful silk dresses with the slits in the side and their hair pinned up. I'm not into hair and fashion but I love the Asian style of clothing. And, of course, there's the food. You haven't lived 'til you had their beef and broccoli! Anyway, we all arrived and Papa Song himself greeted us. He greeted Dee first since she was something of a regular here.

"Ah, Dee! To what do we owe this visit?" He asked.

Now, Papa Song, how can I describe this guy? He's 60 but you couldn't tell by looking at him because his hair is just as jet black as mine and, let's be honest, he looks more like he's 40. If you've ever seen those old episodes of Happy Days, he looks and sounds like Pat Morita back in the day. He looked so much like the guy, the day the real Pat Morita passed away, some of the newer customers who walked in looked at him and looked like they'd seen a ghost. He and Dee hugged and then my best friend spoke up.

"Oh, I just brought my bestie and some new friends for lunch here. Got a table for seven?"

When Papa Song looked up, his eyes lit up when he realized just who our friends were.

"Oh, my! I'm such a huge fan of you guys! The missus and I watch Raw every Monday and my two grandsons are diehard fans of the Divas. Of course, they're 17 and a couple of horndogs, so, yeah." He laughed.

"You just described about 90 percent of our fanbase." Rosa chuckled.

"You mean most of them are teenagers?"

"No, horndogs." The Divas laughed.

"Ah, I see. But, really, it's an honor to have you all here."

"Well, thanks for having us." John smiled.

"Um, I have a daughter who's one of your biggest fans and she's flip if she knew you were here, so… I was wondering… if you would sign an autograph for her?"

"No problem. Which one is she?"

"She's gonna be your waitress. Come. I'll show you all to your table."

So, Papa Song led us to his best table in the middle of the restaurant and we sat down. John pulled my chair out for me and I… okay, I did blush. It was really sweet of him.

"Thank you."

"Anytime." He smiled as he took the seat next to mine. Maybe he does like me.

"Oh, and whatever you decide on, it's on the house."

"Oh, no. Absolutely not. We insist on paying just like anyone else." Alicia said and everyone else agreed.

"But I would like to know where she got that dress." Kelly Kelly wondered aloud.

"I'll have my wife give you the name of the store later." Papa Song smiled. "So, please enjoy and if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

You gotta love the guy. He'd give you the shirt off his back if he thought it would make a person's day a little brighter.

"This place is beautiful." Layla marveled. "You know, we've been to Memphis loads of times but I've never heard of this place.

"It's literally a mom and pop kinda place, but it's been here for years. When I went to school here, I kinda found out about this place by accident. I was babysitting to earn money and it was his grandsons I was looking after. Their parents brought back some food from Papa Song's and I became hooked. From then on, whenever I had a taste for Chinese, I came here and the rest is history." Dee-Lo explained. "So, yeah, we go way back."

"That is really cool." Alicia nodded.

A few minutes later, the waitress, Papa Song's daughter arrived with our menus.

"Welcome. I'm Lian, your waitr-." I remember Lian. The last time I saw her she was a sophomore in high school when Dee babysat those two kids and she still looks the same. She still kept her hair in a short bob with a flower on the left side and she always wore her purple jade panda necklace that her grandmother gave her. She's now 25, I think. I'll have to ask Dee later. I finally notice that the girl looked catatonic because of who was at the table she was bussing, John and the Divas just smiled at her as they waited for poor Lian to say something.

"No way! Papa…" She looked back at Papa Song who just chuckled. "You ROCK! Um, sorry about that. Anyway, I'm Lian and I'll be your waitress." She handed us our menus before speaking again. "You can either order from the menu or you can take advantage of our all-you-can-eat buffet…"

"Uh… you don't wanna suggest that. Not with him here." Layla warned as she pointed to John. The poor guy just hung his head down and shook it in shame.

"You're never gonna let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope."

Okay, now it was my turn to know more about this guy.

"Alright, I gotta hear about this." I say with a smirk. "What happened?"

Layla smirked at John who was probably wishing he could fall through the crack in the floor right now.

"I won't go into too much detail, but, we were in a Texas rib joint and John practically ate those poor people out of house and home."

"What? Those were the best damn ribs I ever ate." He laughed. "You'd think seeing someone eat so much of your food would be a compliment."

"Compliment, huh? Why don't you tell Gwen what happened after you… finally finished?" Layla taunted.

"I don't wanna." He whined. This big, tanned, blue-eyed, muscled, dimpled… *ahem*… anyway, this dude basically reverted back to a 5 year old who was forced to apologize to someone. It was adorable.

"Either you tell her or I will." The Divas Champion taunted. John just pouted and, damnit, stop it. You're already cute!

"Fine. The owner… threw me out and basically banned me from ever coming back."

The Divas just chuckled. I… was kinda stunned. I mean, I've heard of people eating a lot at a buffet, but never so much to get thrown out of a restaurant. I just had to put my hand over my eyes and shake my head.

"I… there are no words." I chuckle.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, I'm sitting in this awesome new restaurant… and, thanks to Layla, I had to admit one of my most embarrassing moments that happened in another restaurant. I'm a guy! I basically survive on three concepts: women, sports and food… and that was some damn good food! Okay, so maybe I ate enough ribs to bankrupt a Texas cattle ranch but, hey! They shouldn't have made it taste so good.

"Thanks, girls. You embarrassed me in front of Dee and Gwen; now I'll never be able to look them in the eye again." I was halfway joking, but I was really more concerned about how I looked in front of Gwen than anyone else.

"I… there are no words."

Great. She probably thinks I'm a pig.

"Hey, you can't fault the guy. He probably looked really cute with barbecue sauce all over his face." She said. "And I bet that place blew up in popularity after that incident, didn't it?"

"Actually, it did." Kelly Kelly said.

"There you go. In a backwards way, John's appetite helped that place and I'm sure he paid them for everything he ate, right?"

"Yeah, I did. I'm still not welcome back there, but yeah." How about that? She's not completely disgusted by… hold up… did she say I was "cute"?

"Okay, as funny as this is, I'm starving. How about we order?" Dee suggested.

Now that's the best idea I heard all day. We all look at our menus and I see the Chinese calendar on the back. It was pretty cool because it listed each animal and the years that each animal fell on. So I look at Gwen and Dee and ask them something I was taught never to ask a woman unless you wanted to be castrated. Hey, I wanted to get to know Gwen better so, for her, I'm willing to take that risk.

"Gwen, what years were you and Dee born?"

"Actually we were born the same year, 1980." Gwen answered. "Dee's a few months older than I am, though."

"Okay, 1980. Damn, I miss the 80's." I say. I do; it was the best decade to be a kid! Anyway, I look at the calendar and I had to let out a laugh.

"Come on! What's their animal?" Kelly Kelly was anxious.

"These two ladies were born in the year of… the monkey!" I smile.

"What? Lemme see that!" Dee-Lo laughed. She looked at my menu and, sure enough, 1980 was under the monkey picture. "I thought for sure I was something cool like a dragon or a tiger."

"Actually… monkey kinda suits you, girl." Gwen chuckled. "You were the jungle gym champ at Ella Darling Elementary."

"Okay, okay… how about your boyfriend?" Dee smirked at Gwen. Poor girl tried to hide behind her menu she was so embarrassed. Maybe she does like me. "John, when were you born?"

"1977." I answered proudly.

"Okay, lemme see here." Dee looked for my year on the back of the menu and shook her head when she found my animal. "And John-boy was born under the year of… the ssssssssssssnake."

Okay, I had to laugh at that a bit. Like Dee, I thought for sure I'd get something cool like the dragon. But snake? Now that I think about it, maybe it's not so bad.

"How'd I get Randy Orton's animal?" I laugh. "You know, it would be really ironic if the guy ended up being born under the year of the rabbit. But, snake, huh? I can live with that." I then snake my arm around Gwen's shoulder and let it rest there. I see that my arm's touching her bare shoulder and she has really soft skin. Hey, if I was a snake, I was gonna use that to my advantage. Get your minds out of the gutter, people.

So we're having a good time and I'm kinda scooting my chair closer to Gwen every few minutes while we figure out our orders and Lian is taking care of things at other tables. One of them had a guy who was being really rude to people, especially Lian.

"I said I wanted iced tea! Not this green tea shit!" The guy threw the glass down until it shattered scaring Lian.

"I'm sorry. I'll get you your tea!"

"And I don't wanna hear no Chinese talking behind my back, you little bitch!" When Lian ran to get his tea, the man was looking at his menu. I looked over at Gwen and I saw that look in her eyes. I only saw it twice and you know when those times were. I could tell something was about to go down and then I hear the guy talking to himself as he looked at the calendar. "Chinese Calendar… hmmph. I wonder what year I was born under."

**"Probably the year of the Jackass!"** Gwen shouts. Okay… that was a good one; I might use that myself. But rude dude didn't think so and he gets up from his seat.

"What did you say?"

"I didn't stutter." Gwen shot back.

Oh, boy. Now he's coming over here. Maybe I can diffuse this situation before things get out of hand.

"Hey, I know why you're here and we really don't need any trouble." I say.

"Look, buddy! Why don't you get a handle on your girlfriend before she does something to get herself hurt!"

Okay, I can take this guy's douche bag attitude, but threatening Gwen like that? Now he's stepping on toes! I see Gwen try to get out of her chair, but I gently put my hand on her bare shoulder and gave her wink letting her know I got this. She just nodded and calmed down. Hey, I had a feeling she didn't wanna throw down twice in one day so I offered to take this one for her.

"Okay, one, you're not gonna do anything to her and two, she's absolutely right." I said. "You didn't need to treat that waitress like that. So she got you the wrong tea; big deal!"

"How I treat that bitch is none of your business! Besides, the customer is always right!" He smirked.

Okay, I can see why food service people spit in rude customers' food now. Of course this guy deserves worse than spit and I won't go into that since I haven't eaten yet.

"Until now!" I step right into the guy's face and we were looking eye to eye. "I learned a long time ago that there are two kinds of people you don't piss off: those who give you medicine and those who serve you food… because they could slip anything in there and you won't know 'til it's too late."

It was at that point that Papa Song came over and broke us up.

"You're right. It's not John's business. But that's **my** daughter you're talking about so it is **my** business!" Mr. Song was shorter than the both of us, but what he lacks in stature, he makes up for it in spunk. The restaurant owner just looked back at me and the look he gave me told me that he got this. So, I just held my hands up and stepped back.

"And just what are you gonna do about it, Mr. Miyagi!?" The guy taunted. Papa Song just walked up to the man and didn't even flinch when he looked him dead in the eye.

"Call my daughter that word again and I'll show you!"

He's got guts, I'll give him that! You should have seen the determination in his eyes. He acted like most fathers would when someone insults their daughter and if he's anything like those dads, this dude was gonna be in a world of hurt!

"That daughter of yours is a bitch!" And to drive that point home, he shoves Mr. Song into the counter with the cash register.

**"Papa!"**

I heard his daughter screaming and I thought she was gonna beg the guy not to hurt her father. But she just helped up her dad and looked at him. The dude tried to strike him again, but before I could blink, Mr. Song grabbed his arm and rammed his head into the counter.

"Damn!"

Okay… I had to rub my eyes. That went way too fast for me to follow. Papa Song may have been 60 but he had the moves of someone half his age!

"Confucius say: when rude man disrespects a man's daughter, that man has the right to kick ass!"

That got him cheers from the rest of the patrons.

"That's what I'm talkin' 'bout! Papa Song, represent!" I shout. And then his daughter, Lian came up with a glass of tea.

"Oh, I brought you your tea. And this one…" Then she threw it in his face. "Is on the house!"

Now, this is the first time I went to a Chinese restaurant and I was treated to one of the best shows ever. Watching Papa Song throw this guy out into the street was awesome! To add insult to injury, I went over and raised Papa Song's hand in victory right in front of the douche bag.

"I'm never coming back to this place again!"

"Good, but if you do, I'll be happy to feed you another can of whoop-ass!" Papa Song smirked.

"Papa Song with the smack talk! You can roll with my crew any day!" I high-fived him proudly. His daughter, Lian, came up with her camera and I held up her father's hand so she could take a picture.

"Papa Song, you were amazing!" The divas all came up to the guy and they each planted a kiss on his cheeks. Man, the shit-eating grin he had on his face was beyond priceless. But, I gotta hand it to him. Today, he was the man!

"Looks like I still got it!" He smirked.

The air in the restaurant was fun as we finally ordered. After one of the best meals I ever had, the Divas and I spent a little time signing autographs and taking pictures before heading to ATC Fitness to join the others for our daily workout.

"Oh, wait. We don't have our workout clothes." Dee realized.

"We have to go back to the house." Gwen added.

"Girl, don't sweat it. We got you both covered." Alicia smiled. "We have extras."

Now, I know Dee is excited to see the guys, but right now, I'm thinking about how Gwen's gonna look in skintight workout gear and that thought makes me hit the gas a little. The sooner we get to the gym… ha HA! The bad thing was the Divas weren't in as big a hurry as I was.

"John, you're gonna get us arrested for speeding! Slow down!" Kelly Kelly yelled. And that shook me out of my daydream.

"My bad!" I apologized to the girls and now there's a rosy tint in my cheeks. Yyyyeah. Maybe I got a bit too excited.

-ATC Fitness-

We arrive at ATC and we meet up with the guys from the meet and greet in Triple H's suite earlier. A couple of others were there, too and they were just as curious about meeting Gwen. Speaking of, she and Dee went with the Divas to change into their workout gear while I a couple of the guys call out to me.

"Hey, Cena! Over here!"

"Phil, dude! Where were you?" I walk over and shake C.M. Punk's hand and I see that Alex Riley was here, too.

"Sorry. We got called into a meeting at the last minute." Punk apologized.

"But, that's beside the point. So where's this girl I keep hearing about?" Alex asked.

"Oh, she and her friend are getting changed. She should be coming out in a minute."

Just as I say that, here come the Divas out first and they look hot as usual. Then Dee comes out wearing a white t-shirt and pink shorts. Her shoulder-length brown hair was up in a ponytail and she earned a few whistles from the guys. But there was only one girl I wanted to see. I waited with bated breath until she finally came out in charcoal workout pants and hooded sports bra. Her purple belt hit her waist just right and, yeah… I liked what I saw.

'Wow." I said quietly. She looked great.

"Hey, John. You wanna introduce me?" I dunno where my voice was but it sure as hell wasn't cooperating with me right now. "John?" Still nothing. I didn't really say anything until she knocked on my forehead like it was a door. "Anyone in there?"

That snaps me out of it. Not her voice, not her in that outfit, but her knocking on my forehead.

"Huh?"

"You zoned out on me again." She smirked. "This is starting to become a habit with you."

It was at that point that Dee walked over. See saw that I'd blacked out and just shook her head.

"He did it again, didn't he?" She asked her best friend.

"Yup."

"Come on. Can you blame me?" I chuckle. "Anyway, I wanna introduce you ladies to a couple more Superstars. This is WWE Champion, C.M. Punk. Punk, this is Dee-Lo and Gwen."

"Nice meeting you finally." He smiled as he shook both of their hands.

"Likewise." Gwen nodded.

"Wow, you killed in ECW!" Dee gushed.

"A fan. I like her already!" Punk chuckled.

"And this is Alex Riley. Most people call him A-Ri."

"Hello." He shakes Dee's hand but when he got to Gwen, he takes her hand and, like Evan and I did, he kisses it. Copycats! "So you're the mysterious lady that saved our John-Boy, huh?"

"Well, I don't know about that." She said humbly.

"Gwen, come on." Dee laughed. "Play it up a little."

"Play what up? I'm not used to so much attention. I mean, look at me. I'm just your average black chick. I'm hardly what you call 'mysterious'."

"After the things we heard about what this guy went through to find you, I'd say 'mysterious' pretty much covers it." Punk chuckled. "Besides, it's not every day you get to shake hands with a hero."

"That's my girl!" Dee said proudly. "Right place, right time."

"Wrong way." I laugh. "That's how I found him. I got lost."

"Believe me. Nobody's more thankful for that than I am." I say with a smile. "Hey, why don't you let the guys show you around while I work out." I stretch my arms up a few times and let out a groan. Was I trying to show off? What do you think? "There's a ring here and you two can watch me-"

"Make a fool out of himself." I know that voice. I drop my hands in frustration and when I look over, I see my best friend smirking.

"I said it before and I'll say it again. Worst… wingman… EVER!" I laugh as I punch Randy in the arm playfully. "Okay… how about you and me in the ring over there?"

"Trying to look good in front of the girls?" He asked as he nodded over to Dee and Gwen.

"I don't need to try." I smirk. "So how about it? Half hour?"

"Half hour."

Okay, we put on a little show for the girls. It still doesn't mean I don't wanna look good in front of them… especially Gwen.

"Hey, Gwen. How about you and Dee hang out with the others and meet us at that ring over there?" I ask.

"Okay. I'm sure I can find something to do." Gwen smiled. A couple of the Divas called her over to the treadmills and I was lucky enough to watch her. You know the saying "hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave"? That applies here. As you know, I'm an ass man and… damn! "Baby Got Back" was playing in my head and I got to the line "Even white boys got to shout". Lemme tell ya, her ass… if this place wasn't packed, I'd be howling like Wolfman Jack right about now.

* * *

A Half Hour Later…

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Man, all my life, I basically just blended into the shadows and I was okay with that. Now, I save John Cena's life and, BOOM! All of a sudden, I'm the center of attention. It's kind of intimidating if you think about it. I mean, imagine having pretty much every eye trained on you for one reason or another. A long time ago, I wouldn't even set foot in a place like this because, well, because I was fat. And it wasn't because I didn't want to work out; it was because I didn't want everyone staring at me while I did. When you're in a situation like that, it makes you feel small… and not in a good way. Take my run on the treadmill, for example. I look around while I'm running and I see everyone looking at me. Some of the superstars were whispering to each other. I saw Punk talking to some of the guys and I guess he was telling them something along the lines of "that's her" or "she's the one". On the flip side, some of the Divas had looks on their faces ranging from approval to "who's this bitch". One in particular had this long, wavy light brown hair and she looked like she was jealous. I dunno why; I never even talked to the chick. I then look over at John who was doing curls with a heavy set of dumbbells and I notice him looking at me with those blue eyes of his. Come to think of it, I don't think he took his eyes off me the whole time I was running. Wait… was he, dare I say it, checking me out? It would be a dream come true if he was, but let's be real. Then again… they do say the eyes don't lie and his are telling they like what they see. Maybe he was checking me out. Anyway, the time came for John and Randy to have their "match" and everyone gathered around the ring. Dee and I had ringside seats as John and Randy entered the ring.

"Ready to lose?" Randy asked John. I could tell those two were just joking around. They kinda remind me of me and Dee.

"Please, like I'm gonna lose to you." John smirked. He took his shirt off, much to the delight of all the divas there, and threw it to me. Okay, I've seen pictures of him shirtless, but they don't do him justice at all. This guy was built! Do you hear me? Okay, after I spent what seemed like an eternity looking over his hot body, I hear Randy talking again.

"What makes you think you can beat me?"

"I have a good reason to win." He then winked at me and I just look at the ground with a smile. Next thing I hear is everyone going "OOOOOOOOOHHH!"

"Oh, get off me." I pout. Him winking at me was nice, though.

So the match starts and Punk decided to act as the referee. Even though it was a mock match, it still had all the intensity of a real one, I guess because it was also training for them. The match went on for about ten minutes and when Randy grabbed the back of John's shorts to roll him up for a pin, he inadvertently revealed a side to the former champ that I never expected to see.

**"OH, MY GOD!"** I screamed. I quickly closed my eyes and buried my head into Dee's shoulder. Needless to say, the match stopped. Everyone was busting out laughing and John scrambled to pull his pants back up. "See, this is why the sagging pants fad needs to die!" My voice was muffled thanks to my head still being buried in Dee's shoulder. The next thing I knew, everyone started singing "Pants on the Ground". John couldn't help himself and he laughed, too. Thank goodness he has a sense of humor. He looked at me and called out.

"Gwen? Are you okay?" He asked lightly.

"Depends. Are you decent?" And yes, I'm still doing my best impression of an ostrich.

"Pretty much." John just let out a chuckle and I slowly looked up. Okay, pants back where they're supposed to be. Good. I was having a hard time looking John in the eye now and considering he has the most captivating eyes I've ever seen, that's saying something. I look in the ring and Punk and Randy are just dying!

"John… I know you wanted to show her something, but-"

"Shut up, Randy!" John laughed. He looked down and saw the reason for the wardrobe malfunction: his belt buckle broke. "I guess it's a draw."

"Yeah, I think droppin' trou' is a good way to end a match." I chuckle.

"I did not 'drop trou'. He pulled trou. That's different." John laughed. "Not my fault my belt broke."

"John, just level with them. You planned this all along." Randy chuckled. "You wanted to show them your big ass."

"Hey, leave them alone. They're probably embarrassed enough as it is." Punk smirked.

"I'm not." Dee said confidently. "I just wish I had my smartphone now."

That's Dee for ya. She was boy-crazy ever since she hit puberty. Me, I've never seen a naked body other than my own so that flash was enough to make me blush.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, after showing everyone a side to me they've never seen before, I look down at Gwen and I see her face buried in her best friend's shoulder. Was she really embarrassed by it? When I asked if she was okay and she asked back if I was decent, I got my answer. I never pegged her as the bashful type but this just added to my list of things I wanted to know about this girl. As Randy, Punk and I got out of the ring for some other guys to practice, I walk over to Gwen and take her to one of the benches for a little privacy.

"Hey, are you sure you're alright?" I ask with a little more concern.

"I'm fine, really." She said; she still wasn't completely looking at me. "I'm just not used to seeing… that."

"What? You mean bare ass?" I asked and Gwen just meekly nodded. I was going back and forth in my head on whether or not to ask my next question since it was personal. The last thing I wanted to do was make her so uncomfortable she didn't even want to look at me. Life's about taking chances, right? So here goes. "Um… I wanna ask you something and you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Alright."

How am I supposed to ask a woman this? I mean, I NEVER had to ask a woman this because I thought all women… you know.

"Have you ever- I mean, have you even seen-"

"A naked body? No, I haven't." She said plainly. I look into her brown eyes and I could see she was telling the truth. No wonder she looked so innocent… she really was. "Yeah, I'm 32 and I've never seen a naked body other than my own. Go ahead and call me a prude."

I saw that she was getting a little upset so I spoke up quickly.

"Hey, nobody's calling you a prude. There's nothing wrong with that at all." I say to her. "So, wait. Does my being shirtless bother you?"

"Oh, no. From the waist up, I'm fine. It's South of the border that… makes me a little uncomfortable."

I watched her as her hands fidgeted and had this look of shame on her. Why should she be ashamed? I actually find this innocence… attractive. I wanted to ask her something else, but considering where this was going, I figured she'd been through enough.

"Hey, you want anything? A juice or something?" I ask gently.

"Juice would be nice. Thanks."

I gave her a soft smile and got up from my seat to kneel in front of her.

"Hey… look at me." I gently tilt her head up by the chin so I can look her in the eye. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, okay? I think the fact that you're shy about seeing me like… that… is really sweet. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Okay. And thanks."

I give her a soft smile before I make my way to the juice bar. It was just a few steps so I was back quickly.

"Here you go."

"Thank you." She said and she took a sip of the juice.

"If you want, I can take you back to Aunt Sophie's." I offer. I really didn't want to say goodbye to her so soon, but I think giving her some time was best.

"I don't wanna ruin things for everyone."

"Hey, they'll completely understand. And don't worry… what we talked about stays between the two of us. You have my word." If there was one thing I was known for in the WWE, it was the fact that I always kept my promises. Gwen looked at me with those big brown eyes and I just wanted to protect her. Okay, I know, she can take care of herself just fine; but you know what I mean.

"Yeah, I think I do wanna go back."

"Okay. I'll let everyone know and I'll drive you back."

A few minutes pass and I walk back over to Gwen so I can take her home. By now, I'd put on a new shirt since I gave Gwen my other one. The drive back to Aunt Sophie's was quiet, but it wasn't awkward. I think she's calming down somewhat. I hope so because I'm just scratching the surface of this girl. No, she's not a girl; she's a woman. A woman who, I'm finding out, is just as pretty on the inside as she is outside. We arrive at the house and she asks if I wanted to come inside.

"Sure." I say.

"You want anything?"

"No, I'm fine; thanks." We both sit on the couch and she turns it on to some anime. Okay, she likes anime, too? I had to smile to myself. As we watch together, she seems to be more comfortable around me which is good. I figure this would be a good time to run something by her.

"Hey, Gwen?"

"Hmm?"

"You said you and Dee would be in town for a week, right?"

"Yeah. Why do you ask?"

Okay, here goes.

"Well, I was wondering if you two would want to hang out with us for SmackDown and the next Raw? They're both still in Tennessee, just in other cities. We'll still be close enough to Memphis, though."

"Um, SmackDown, yeah, that would be great. But I have to be back home next Monday to go back to work."

Man, this isn't gonna work. I was gonna give her her reward for saving me that night. I'd talked it over with Vince and he thought it would be a great idea. I was disappointed, but I don't give up that easily. I really want her at Raw next week.

"Come on. I'd planned something special for that night and I really want you and Dee there. Please?" Okay, I've been watching little Thunder long enough. Time to turn on the charm. I turn my mouth into a pout and give her the sad puppy dog eyes. "Pretty please?" I look at Gwen's face and I can see a smile forming.

"John-"

Before she could protest, I gave her a little doggie whimper and put my head on her shoulder. There was no way she can say no to this. If she does, I really have lost my touch with women. I hear her laugh and shake her head.

"You are not playing fair! You've been hanging around Thunder too long!"

"Guilty." I bat my eyes at her and she let out a loud laugh.

"Okay, that's just wrong!" She giggled. 'Alright! You win. I'll go to Raw with you."

"Yes! I still got it!" I do my little victory dance, you know, the same one I did when I thought the Nexus was gone. "You won't regret it I promise."

I was on Cloud 9. I had another six days to spend with Gwen and I was determined to make the most of them. I do wish we had more time, but you gotta take what you're given. I heard my cell ring and took it out of my pocket. I look at the number and I see that it's Randy.

"'Sup, Randy?"

_"Did you ask her yet?"_

Before I left, I told Randy that I'd ask Gwen if she was up for travelling with us until next Monday. I had a feeling Dee would be down with it, but I had to be sure they both were.

"Yup and she's in." I smile. "I'll be back over there in a few. Bye." I look down at Gwen and I grin at her. "You might wanna pack your things. The gang and I will be by to pick you up later tonight."

"Oh, right! Wait… what about…"

"Thunder's coming, too. The Divas insisted." I chuckle.

"You sure it was the Divas and not Thunder who insisted?" She laughed. "Okay, I'll get ready."

"Great. See ya."

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

I watch as John waved at me and leave the house and I plop back onto the couch, right in the same spot he was sitting in.

"Can this week get any wilder?" I ask and then I notice that I still have John's shirt. I dunno why, but I brought it up to my nose and give it a good whiff. I expected it to be sweaty, but I could still smell the soap and cologne he used. Man, he smelled so good. I was never gonna let this shirt go… well, AFTER I finish packing.

**END OF CHAPTER FIVE**

Well, another bit of Gwen has been revealed and John seems to be more intrigued by her. Let's hope things keep going well for him. He only has another six days with her, but crazier things have happened in the WWE. As always, read, review and pass it on! Till my next update, PEACE!


	6. Smack talk at SmackDown and a Raw Reveal

Hey, everyone! Sorry about the late update. Life kept getting in the way and I would have had this chapter up at least a week ago. Anyway. I'm back with another update and thanks so much to my loyal reviewers! And to those who are also reading this… **hint hint**. The more reviews I get the faster I update so leave some love in a review and spread the love by telling your friends about it. I know there are more Cena fans out there! **RISE UP, CENATION, AND BE HEARD!** :D

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! Gwen, Dee-Lo, Thunder and any and all UNFAMILIAR people and places are mine. Now, LET'S HIT IT!

* * *

**LAST TIME...**

_"Yup and she's in." I smile. "I'll be back over there in a few. Bye." I look down at Gwen and I grin at her. "You might wanna pack your things. The gang and I will be by to pick you up later tonight."_

_"Oh, right! Wait… what about…"_

_"Thunder's coming, too. The Divas insisted." I chuckle._

_"You sure it was the Divas and not Thunder who insisted?" She laughed. "Okay, I'll get ready."_

_"Great. See ya."_

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

It's around 6 p.m. and I'm almost finished packing my things so I was double checking to make sure I wasn't leaving anything behind. I had all my clothes and souvenirs… especially my signed poster. There was no way in Hell I was gonna leave that behind. I had Thunder's things packed including some puppy pads. I dunno, but something told me that I'd need them. Dee had gotten back about a half hour after John left from here and the whole time she's packing her things, she kept bugging me and asking what John and I talked about at the gym and after he drove me back.

"So, girl! What did you two talk about in the gym? What did he say on the drive back here? Did you two do anything when you got back?"

"Personal stuff, nothing and no." I said.

"Come on! I live on gossip! I can't survive on 'nothing'! Gimme something juicy!"

"Dee. The personal stuff is stuff you already know about me, we didn't really say anything on the ride back and all we did was watch anime and talk about us being invited to SmackDown and Raw next Monday." I explained. "Not a bit of juice."

Dee just sat down on the edge of my bed and frowned up at me.

"You know, you're boring."

"I can't help that. I finally get a guy interested in me… at least I think he's interested in me… and he's one I don't wanna throw him into a pool full of great white sharks."

Dee, for reasons I'm still not sure of, got up and grabbed the glasses off of my face and put them on hers. Now I know why she always wears contacts: she don't look good in glasses at all. They always look crooked on her. She stares at me and folds her arms.

"Do you need your prescription changed or are you just that blind? He is so interested in you! Let's recap: he runs all over the Pyramid looking for you before AND after the show, he brings you to the hotel to meet some of his friends, when the black version of the Three Stooges hassled us, he went to defend you, he pulled you aside after he showed his fine ass to the world…"

"Dee…"

"What? I can't admit he's got a better booty than mine? I swear, I think there's a bit of soul brother in him somewhere. But anyway, let's not forget that he keeps putting his arm around you and smiling. He likes you and you like him. Pull the trigger, bitch! Pull the trigger!" Dee smiled.

Dee's been trying to hook me up with guys for as long as I can remember. But I'd never go out with any of them. I dunno. I guess I just don't want to remember my first date as my worst date. Yes, you heard it right. I've NEVER been on a date... EVER! Of course, I haven't because the ones I want to date, don't want to date me for one reason or another and the ones who do… should be incarcerated. So, yeah, I am having kind of a hard time believing that a guy I want to hang out with wants to hang around me. Stuff like that just doesn't happen to me.

"Hey. You deserve to be happy. Nobody wants that for you more than I do." Dee said sincerely.

"I know. I guess I just want this so bad, I'm scared it won't happen at all." I said. And I was. "I guess I should just see where this goes. After Raw, I won't see him again anyway. I'll be back home and he'll be travelling."

"Gwen, three words: long distance relationship. There's always hope. Like a certain sexy wrestler always says… never give up."

Ugh. I hate when Dee's right. I mean I **REALLY** hate when she's right.

"You really get on my nerves, you know that, right?" I ask playfully.

"I know. Someone has to knock some sense into you." Dee smirked. "Now, help me finish packing. They'll be here any minute."

"Okay. I still can't believe we're going to SmackDown and Raw!"

"And as John Cena's personal guests." Dee added as she sat on her suitcase. "I never thought I'd say this but I love your lousy sense of direction!" She laughed.

I had to laugh myself. For once, one of my many quirks had a positive outcome.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

It's 6:30 and I'm standing outside Aunt Sophie's door. I was smiling from ear to ear because for the next 6 days, I'd be spending time with Gwen and Dee. Mostly Gwen, though. I dunno what it is about this girl but she's not like anyone I've ever met. I can't get her out of my mind… like I'd want to. Anyway, I knock on the door and Aunt Sophie was the one to answer.

"Madame Sophie. Nice to see you again." I try to give her my best Southern accent, but it didn't work out too well. And we both have a good laugh about it.

"Not bad for a first try." She said. "Here to pick up the girls?"

"Yes, ma'am." I said politely. Hey, I was taught to show respect. "Are they ready?"

"Hun, they've been talking nonstop since you brought Dee back. I swear it's like having teenage girls all over again." She laughed. "I'll get them." Now, I'm expecting her to go upstairs and let them know I was here, but… **"DELORES! GWEN! JOHN'S HERE!"**

Damn, this woman's got a set of lungs on her! I think she coulda been heard in the next county! Yeah, she is definitely Dee-Lo's family! When Aunt Sophie looked back at me, she saw that I had my hand clutching my chest and my eyes bugged out to the size of saucers.

"I'm really sorry for that, but those two are usually listening to their music so the only way to get their attention is to scream." She explained.

"Hey, it's all good. I just hope they heard you." I chuckle. And I'm hoping the hearing in my own ears return. So, I'm standing there trying to get my ears to pop when I hear a small dog barking. I look over at the stairs and I see thunder running down to greet me.

"Hey, little man!" I say to Thunder who's now running around my feet.

"Hey, John." Gwen said with a smile. Dee was right behind and they had their bags with them.

"Hey, Gwen. Hey, Dee. You both ready?"

"You know I am!" Dee chirped.

"Me, too!" Gwen nodded. "So where are we going?"

"Well, SmackDown is gonna be in Knoxville and Raw was originally gonna be in Nashville but they pulled out at the last second due to scheduling issues so we're gonna hold it in the FedEx Forum back here in Memphis." I told them. "Plus there are a couple of house shows in between."

"Sweet! This is gonna be the best!" Dee smiled. "What are we waiting for?"

"Well, I'll drive you girls to the rental place. I need to drop off this car. My tour bus is there and Randy and his family will meet us there in theirs. We can figure out who's goin on which bus when we get there. I smile because I knew the girls would be excited.

"Shut up!" Gwen chuckled.

**"GET… THE… FUCK… OUT!"** Dee screamed. "You serious?"

"Dead serious. But we better go now, we're taping SmackDown tomorrow."

"Okay. Well, we're ready." Gwen said. Both girls hugged Aunt Sophie before we piled into the Escalade. Like last time, Dee was in the back with Thunder and Gwen rode shotgun while I drove. It didn't take long for us to get to the rental place. I parked the car and helped the girls get their stuff out of the back.

"Hey, lemme give you a hand with that." Came a voice over my shoulder. I turn around and there was Randy.

"Hey, man. They don't have that much stuff but I appreciate it." I said. I thought he was gonna grab one of the girls' bags… but he passed all of it and went to pick up Thunder. I should have known out of all their stuff, he grabs the dog. "Yeah, thanks a lot, Captain No Help." I laugh.

"What? Technically, he's luggage, too. Besides, he likes me better anyway." He chuckled. "Anyway, Sam and Alanna can't wait to meet the girls and… uh…"

"You told Alanna about Thunder, didn't you?" I interrupt.

"Kinda had to, ya know? It wasn't like Gwen was gonna leave the little guy at home." Little Thunder barked in agreement and it kinda irked me a bit. I thought he was **my** dawg.

I just shook my head and let out a chuckle. Okay, he had a point, I hate to admit.

"See, I didn't even know you were married." Gwen said and that made Randy look at her weirdly.

"Okay, wait. You mean when we were all at the club, you didn't notice… this?" And he held up his left hand to show off his wedding band.

"Okay, one, it was dark; two, I wasn't paying attention to that because I don't go to clubs to hook up and three, I'm just catching up on two missed years of WWE action. Cut me some slack." And that last statement made Randy shoot her an even weirder look.

"Two years? What were you-"

"Blame Peter Griffin. Let's get this party started!" Dee cut Randy off and walked over to the bus with her best friend in tow.

I notice Randy mouthing the name Peter Griffin over and over and I know he was trying to place the name. I just had a wide grin on my face because I knew he wasn't gonna believe what held Gwen's attention so much that it kept her out of the WWE loop for two years.

"Peter Griffin. Peter Gri- **Oh, HELL NO!**" Randy shouted and I fell out laughing. "You mean we were losing a viewer to a talking dog and a baby bent on world domination!? She can't be-"

"Man, just let it go." I laugh and push him towards his own bus. When the five of us got there, I see Sam coming out of the bus. Her brown hair was in a ponytail and she had on jeans and her favorite blouse.

"Hey, babe." She greeted Randy with a kiss he happily returned.

"Gwen, Dee, this is the love of my life." He puts his hand on the side of the bus. "Oh, and this is my wife, Sam." He laughed and Sam gave him a backhand slap in the gut. "Oof! Thank you Abs of Steel."

Okay, the dude may be a beast in the ring, but he sucks at standup comedy.

"And Brain of Mush." Sam said as she playfully glared at her husband. "Hi, it's nice to meet you both." She smiled.

"Hey, I'm Delores. But everyone either calls me Dee-Lo or just Dee."

"And I'm Gwen." Both girls shook hands with the wife of the Legend Killer. I'm pretty sure Randy told Sam all about what happened.

"So you're the one everyone's talking about." Sam nodded. "I know I speak for John when I say thank you."

"You're welcome. I didn't do all that much, though."

"Oh, yes you did. You snatched me from the Jaws of Death and pulled my back into the Land of the Living and for that, I'm forever grateful!" I went into my worst Shakespearean accent and hammed it up like there was no tomorrow. The girls all laughed and Randy… well, he was wishing he didn't know who I was.

"Moving on… there's someone else we want you to meet. Come on." Sam went in first with the girls boarding the bus next. I went on and Randy, with Thunder in his arms, came on last. Gwen and Dee looked around and I could tell the girls were awestruck.

"Man, how come our school busses never look this cool?" Dee asked. "I wouldn't have minded waking up early if this was picking me up."

"If this was picking you up, you wouldn't bother getting off the bus." Gwen smirked.

Gwen just shook her head at her best friend and that was when a little blonde girl came skipping in wearing her pink tutu.

"Mommy! Daddy!" She giggled. Randy handed Thunder to me as he picked up the little girl.

"Hey, Angel." Randy said as he kissed the little girl's cheek. "Miss me?"

"Uh huh!" The girl nodded. She was every bit Daddy's little girl.

"Gwen, Dee. This is my little girl, Alanna." Randy said proudly. "Alanna, sweetie. These are daddy's and Uncle Johnny's friends. Say hi." Little Alanna just hid her head in the crook of Randy's neck making him chuckle. "She's shy around new people."

"She's adorable." Gwen said. "Hi. My name's Gwen."

"And I'm Dee."

Alanna slowly pulled her head up and looked at both girls.

"Hi." She waved shyly.

"How old are you, sweetie?" Gwen asked and Alanna held up four tiny fingers.

"How old are you?" I could see Randy cringe. Now as a guy, we know to NEVER ask a woman her age. Somehow, little kids are lucky enough to get away with it because… well, they're kids and they're cuter. Gwen just chuckled at the child and said…

"Um, we're a lot older than four." She laughed softly.

Sam was about to talk when something caught the little one's attention. She looked down at Thunder who was sitting obediently at Gwen's feet and she seemed to perk up. "Daddy, there's a doggie!" She smiled and pointed.

"Yeah, there's a doggie. You wanna say hi?" Gwen asked.

"Uh huh!" Alanna nodded her head so quickly she looked like a life size bobblehead doll.

Gwen picked up her little dog and brought him to Randy's little girl.

"This is my dog, Thunder. Thunder, this is Alanna." Gwen smiled. "He's really nice and he likes girls."

"Does he ever." I chuckle to myself. I watch as Alanna reached out to pet Thunder on the head and he wagged his tail happily. He then licked her face making her giggle.

"Nice doggie." She smiled. "Can I have one, Daddy?" I laughed when Randy's eyes widened.

"Um, maybe when you're older, darlin'." He chuckled nervously. "So, before we head out, we need to figure out who's going on which bus." Randy then looked pointedly at me and I had a feeling he knew how I wanted this arrangement to go.

"Well, since Alanna and Thunder seem to be hitting it off, I think I'll ride with Randy." Gwen said.

WHAT!? Oh, come on! I look up with only my eyes and I think to myself that the powers that be are gonna make me work for this one.

"YAY!" Alanna squealed. Of course she's happy she gets to play with a little dog. Wherever Gwen goes, Thunder follows. Lucky dog. I have to admit, I am disappointed that she wasn't gonna be riding with me, but seeing Alanna's face light up like that is worth it.

"So, I guess we're gonna be bus mates." Dee said with a smirk.

I really don't mind having to share my bus with Dee. I'm pretty sure we'll keep each other cracking up. But I really hoped I could spend more time with Gwen. Oh, well. I look over at Gwen and I gave her a light shrug. I guess she could tell I was disappointed so she spoke up.

"Hey, would you mind if on the way back to Memphis for Raw, I rode back with John?"

Randy had that smirk on his face and Sam just smiled.

"Of course not. And I don't think John would mind, either." Sam chuckled.

"Way to put me on blast, Sam. Thanks." I thought to myself as I pulled my hat over my eyes.

"Well, since that's settled, we better get going. Sam, why don't you show Gwen her room." Randy said as he set his daughter down.

"Alright."

I watch as Gwen put Thunder on the ground and the second she did, Alanna and the little dog chased each other. The sounds of yipping and giggling will be pretty much all Randy's gonna hear for the next few days.

"You ready, Dee?" I ask.

"You need to ask?" She smirked and soon we both say our goodbyes to Randy and his family as we head to my bus. I could use this time to grill Dee about everything she knows about her best friend; but to be honest, I'd rather get those answers from the source.

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

So I'm on Randy's bus and this place… wow! It's like a rolling hotel. While he and Sam are in the front of the bus, I'm in the back playing with Alanna and Thunder. I watch as my dog would roll onto his back and Alanna would rub his belly. They're just so cute together.

"Nice doggie." She giggled.

"He is, isn't he?"

"Yeah. I want one."

I chuckle at that. There isn't a kid on this planet that doesn't want some kind of pet at that age. Kids and animals… that's a can't miss combo.

"Maybe when you're a little bit older, you'll get one." I smile. I can already see that it's gonna be hard when I go back home because poor Randy and Sam are gonna have to put up with their little girl asking for a dog every… second. I look around and I see she has lots of crayons and coloring books. The walls of her room are plastered with her drawings. "You like to draw, huh?"

"Yeah. Coloring's fun."

"Hey, I have an idea. You wanna draw a picture of my dog?" Alanna's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Okay!"

Alanna ran to her desk and brought over a notebook filled with blank paper. She turned to the first blank page, poured out her crayon box and picked up a brown crayon in her tiny hand. She looked at Thunder who was playing with his new rubber boot squeaky toy and began to draw.

"So, what do you like to do for fun?"

"I watch Disney Junior and Elmo." Alanna said. "He funny."

"Yeah, I loved Sesame Street when I was your age, too." I smiled. For the rest of that night, we talked about things she liked to read and play with and drew pictures until it was time for her to go to bed.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

-In Knoxville-

It's Wednesday night and we all arrive at the Thompson-Boling Arena to tape SmackDown. As Randy gets ready for his main event match, I take Gwen and Dee to the locker rooms to meet a few more of the guys. I knew Dee was all about how the WWE worked but Gwen had a few questions and I didn't mind answering anything she wanted to know.

"Okay, so lemme get this straight. There are two brands but sometimes some of you guys flipflop between shows?"

"Every once in a while. The most likely time is during the WWE Draft or when we're promoting a pay-per-view event, but yeah." I nodded as we reached the snack area.

"That's right. You debuted on SmackDown." Gwen remembered. "I even remember the date when I first saw you wrestle. I never will forget." She smiled. I smiled too because I'm thinking she's watched my WWE career from the beginning. I was in for a surprise when she finally told me the date. "May 13, 2005." And, just like that, my face fell. 2005!? "What's wrong?"

"I debuted in 2002." I said not believing my ears. "Okay, SmackDown came on Fridays so I know Family Guy didn't pull you away that time." I laugh.

"Well, I dunno what I was looking at then. That was, like, over seven years ago. But if I'd have known you were on, I'd have tuned in a whole lot sooner."

"Okay, I guess I can forgive you." I smile and then I look at Dee. "I blame you for this."

"ME!?" Dee said in disbelief. "What did I do?"

"It's what you didn't do. You're the self-proclaimed WWE know-it-all. You should have told her about me."

"Boy, this girl switches on and off with the WWE like a light bulb with a short." Dee chuckled. "One minute, she's in the next... this girl is a trip."

The three of us were having a good time before the show started taping until I looked over to my right. Like at the Peabody lobby, three guys who don't particularly care for me a whole lot, walked over to us. I let out a silent groan as they came closer.

"Take these guys. This is Alberto del Rio and his personal announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez. And the blonde is Jack Swagger." The look I had on my face said I wasn't happy to see any of them.

"What's the matter, John Boy? You act like seeing Jack Swagger isn't the highlight of your day." Jack Swagger smirked. I look over at Gwen and I see her pinching her nose in annoyance.

"Lawd, I hate when guys refer themselves in the third person. Pronouns, dude. Use them!"

That got a few laughs from the crew that were their grabbing a snack before the show.

"I don't know who you are, but no little ring rat is gonna speak to Jack Swagger like that."

If this guy didn't make my blood boil already, I was about to go off like Mount Vesuvius.

"Look, I'm not gonna stand here and let you talk to her like that!" I get up in his face and I was gonna let him know that if he messed with either of the girls, he was gonna have problems.

"What are you gonna do about it?!" Jack asked as he got up in my face. Things were about to come to a head when Gwen broke us up.

"Okay, time out! Before either of you beat each other to a pulp, I just need to know one thing first. What the hell is a ring rat?" Gwen asked.

"It's a not-so-nice term for a wrestling groupie." Dee explained.

"And he thinks I'm- now that's funny because he could pay me a million bucks and I still wouldn't give Jack Daniels the time of day." Gwen said.

"It's Jack **Swagger**!" He yelled.

"Jack Swagger, Jack Daniels, Jack Sparrow… who cares? Either way I don't give Jack shit! I'm not gonna take back what I said about the whole third person thing; it's a turn off."

I hear the sounds of people groaning and I think I heard one of the crew yell **"BURN!"** Oh, she burned him, alright. Alberto chuckled to himself.

"She just served you up like a platter of fajitas." Del Rio smirked.

"Whatever!" He then looked at Gwen. "You haven't heard the last of Jack Swagger."

"Again… **PRONOUNS!**"

I just laughed my fool head off when Jack finally stormed away. What can I say? Seeing Jack get shot down never gets old. Now, there were Del Rio and his personal FaceBook page in a bad suit to deal with.

"So, who are these two chicas, John? Your latest charity cases? What projects did you dig them up from?" The taller Latin smirked.

"Oh, no, he didn't!" Dee said in shock.

"Oh, yes, he did!" Gwen answered just as angrily.

"They're friends of mine and invited guests. That's all you need to know." I told him.

"Well, I'll admit your friends are easy on the eyes." I couldn't stand the way he was eyeing the girls.

"It's too bad we can't say the same about you and the Spanish version of Eddie Munster." Dee shot back.

Again the crowd erupted in laughter. I guess they were thinking the same thing I was. Now things were going to get annoying because here comes Ricardo spouting a string of Spanish that I didn't understand. I knew I should have taken it in college.

**"CIERRA LA BOCA!"** Shouted Dee. "And for those that don't speak Spanish, that means 'shut the hell up!'"

"Wait, you speak Spanish?" I ask.

"I speak enough." Dee said thruthfully. She walked right up to Ricardo and she looked him right in the eye. "Look, you little cucaracha! I know you understand English, so understand this. As long as I've got breath in my body, I'm not gonna let you or your broke ass Antonio Banderas wannabe talk to me or my friend any kinda way. Just like my friend told those Punk Ass Playas, you need to buy yourself some class; of course, even if you could, it still wouldn't help you. Oh, and if the roles were reversed, you wouldn't last two seconds in our 'hood. Nelson Street alone would eat your boss for breakfast and have you for dessert!" I looked at the clock and told the girls that the show was about to start and that they needed to get to their seats. "Okay, John; in a minute." She looked over at Ricardo and Alberto with malice in her own brown eyes. "I'm gonna leave you with some parting words. Speaking for myself and my friend… **BESA MI CULO!** Oh, and Ricardo, you and Alberto del Rio need to lay of the Alberto VO5 because the next time you go swimming, you're gonna cause another oil slick and I don't want BP to get blamed for it! **DEUCES, BITCHES!**"

DAMN! Dee can hang with the best of them, too! I left with the girls with everyone in the snack area applauding.

"Damn, girl! That was… just DAMN!" I laugh. "You tore them a new one!"

"Yeah, well you don't talk smack to me and my girl because I will smack back!" Dee said proudly.

"So I saw! Well let's get you to your seats."

-Later that night-

I wasn't in this edition of Smackdown so I stayed backstage and watched on the monitor. I smiled when I saw Gwen and Dee having the time of their lives from their ringside seats. If they liked this show, they'll have a ball at Raw come Monday. Speaking of Monday, after the house show we're supposed to do Sunday night, the girls switch busses and Gwen will be riding with me back to Memphis! Can you tell I'm excited?

-Monday Morning-

All of us were eating in the hotel restaurant for breakfast and talking about what happened on each other's busses the past few days. They didn't allow dogs so Sam offered to stay behind and keep the little guy company.

"So did you have fun with Thunder, Alanna?" I asked.

"Yeah!" She giggled.

"Did she? If she wasn't drawing pictures of him, they were playing hide and seek and chasing each other all over the bus when we made stops." Randy chuckled. "She's not crazy about Gwen going to your bus this morning."

"I can imagine." I chuckled. I loved Alanna to death, but it's my turn for some Gwen time.

"So, Dee, what did you and John do?" Gwen asked.

"Girl, we basically watched movies and played his Xbox." Dee said. "He kicked my ass at Madden… I forget which number it was. I HATE football!" She pouted.

"Hey anytime you want a rematch, you know where to find me." I smirked.

"Make it a game I'm actually good at, and you're on." She shot back with a chuckle. "Actually, I think you and Gwen will get along just fine. She's a video game junkie, too!"

"Really? What kind of games are you into?" I asked.

"As long as it's not any sports games like football or baseball, I'm fine. But fighting games like Tekken or Mortal Kombat, I OWN on those!"

"So, if I challenged you to one of those games…"

"You'd lose." She said quickly making me laugh.

"Is that so? Well, then I suppose you should know that me and Johnny Cage are like this." And I cross my fingers on my right hand to show her.

"Believe me, once I kick his ass with my boy, Raiden, he'll break up with you."

"Yeah, that brings me back to something else…" And I look Dee square in the face and I say… "Raiden… for a goldfish!?"

I couldn't keep the smile off my face. I mean, come on! Who gives a goldfish that kind of name!? I let out a snicker as Dee shook her head.

"Yes, Raiden. He was a Chinese Carp and he had lightning bolt markings!" Dee said in her own defense. "What did you think I was gonna name him?"

"Something normal… like Bubbles." I said back.

"John, the fish was swimming in his own toilet. I wanted to give him some kind of dignity." Dee laughed.

"You're nuts." I laugh. "Now, back to you. You think you can beat me at Mortal Kombat?"

"No. I know I can." Gwen smirks and Randy and Dee went OOOOOHHH!

"Oh, that's it! When we get back to the bus, it's on!" I say, going into my Dr. of Thuganomics persona. Man, I miss those days!

"It's on like Donkey Kong!" She smirked.

After we pay for our food, we went back to our busses and when Gwen saw how upset Alanna was that she might not play with Thunder anymore, Gwen decided to let him stay on the bus with Randy and his family for this last night. Needless to say, his little girl was happy about that one. I was happy about the fact that, for the last night of their vacation, Gwen would be riding with me. I was finally gonna get some alone time with her. YES!

-That Afternoon-

Man, we spent the whole morning playing with my Xbox and I never thought I'd meet a girl into video games as much as I am. Okay, so she did kick my ass all over Outworld in Mortal Kombat. And she was right; Johnny Cage and I are officially through. I'm finding a new fighter! But when we played Need for Speed and Grand Theft Auto, she was a little shaky when it came to the driving. During GTA, I think she was more concerned with the music the radio was playing than shooting people and evading the cops, although, she did run over a lot of people… not sure if that was intentional or not. After our game battle, we sat at the table and just talked.

"So, what kind of music do you like?"

"Oh, I like all kinds. Rap, rock, country, classical, techno… even some video game music. If I like it enough, I'll listen to just about anything." Gwen answered. "How about you? Are you strictly rap?"

"You'd think so, right?" I chuckle. "But I like rock and some R&B, even a little bit of soul."

"Soul, huh?" She nodded. "I can get with that."

"Yeah, you wanna check out my collection?"

"Love to."

I smile at her and lead her to my room. Get your minds out of the gutter. I lead her to my wall where I keep my cds and let her look through them. When she looked at some of the titles, I see the grin etched on her face. I'm telling you she has a smile that can light up a room.

"Oh, wicked! Man, you got the bomb!" She grinned. "Old school Janet Jackson, Prince, Michael…" She bowed her head in his memory. "I came home from work the day he died and I lost it. I grew up listening to him."

"Who didn't back in the day?" I say to her. "A lot of my childhood memories are linked to his music. My first car, my first date, my first kiss…" I smiled at the thought but when I saw Gwen's face, the smile that was there faded. I got worried that I might have struck a nerve or touched on a sensitive subject. "I didn't say anything wrong, did I?"

"N-no, you didn't. I'm fine." I could tell she was lying.

"Hey, come on. You know you can talk to me and I promise it'll stay between us." I said. I'm not sure what it is I said that made her sad; all I know is I want to put that smile back on her face.

"Let's just say I didn't get to experience the same first most people do." She said softly.

"Wait… so you never had a first car?"

"I can't drive." She said truthfully. And that made my eyes bug out. I couldn't believe it.

"You're shittin' me!"

"Nope."

"So, you didn't take Driver's Ed in high school?"

"Yeah, of course I did. Doesn't mean I did well in it. It was the only class in school I ever almost flunked." She sighed. "I did fine on the written parts, but the actually driving… I had my teacher praying! I was that bad. My older Brother let me drive his car twice when I got my learner's permit. I'm still trying to figure out how I pulled that off."

"Getting your brother to let you drive his car?"

"Getting my learner's permit." She corrected.

"So that's why you didn't want to talk about cars that day." I asked.

"Yeah." She sighed. I wanted to know about the other things and I knew I was gonna run the risk of her not talking to me, but I had to know.

"How about… um… your first date?" I was fully prepared for Gwen to just turn away or ask to go back on Randy's bus, but instead, I heard…

"What first date?"

Okay, the thing about not being able to drive, I can believe that. But this? Uh uh!

"Okay, now I can't believe that one."

"You can believe it or not. It's true. I've never been out on a date. Ever." The look on Gwen's face was getting sadder and sadder by the second. I could also tell by the look in her eyes that she was telling the truth. I mean, she had no reason to lie to me before. Hell, she really had no reason to tell me what she was telling me.

"I don't get it. I mean, I really don't get it. How can someone as pretty as you never had a date?"

At that time, she told me what she told the Divas during their shopping spree the last week and I couldn't believe my ears. She told me about her weight problem and how Dee got her to change. She even told me she was bullied constantly because of it. She spoke about how she was never really noticed in high school by guys the way she wanted and how the ones who did notice her… well we know what happens to those dudes. She told me everything. When she told me her story, I saw myself in her shoes and I knew exactly how she felt. I was picked on because I was a skinny kid and it pissed me off that someone bullied her when she was young. Thank God she had Dee otherwise, who knows what would have happened.

"I always thought something was wrong with me. I still do, sometimes. I keep getting approached by guys that just give me the creeps. I never seem to catch the eye of the good ones. And, in case you were wondering, no, I've never had my first kiss, either. Pathetic, huh?" I watched her as she turned her face to look out the window and I had a feeling she was trying to keep me from seeing her cry. I got my answer when I saw her rubbing her eyes. That just broke my heart. As confident as she seems when she's with Dee, she's the complete opposite when she's on her own. Under that tough exterior, she has a soft, vulnerable side. "I'm sorry. I just seem to keep dumping my problems on your doorstep."

"Hey, for you, my doorstep is always available. Dump away." I smile softly at her. She sniffled a bit, but I did see her smile coming back. Thank you, dimples. I grab a tissue and hand it to her.

"Thanks." She wiped her eyes and let out a deep sigh. I knew this was my last night with her and there was no way I could take her out. As much as I'd love to, she had to be back home tomorrow morning. And as for the kiss… I'd want her first one to be special. If I tried it any time tonight, she'd think I was doing it out of pity and I don't want her to think that. What I could do was make tonight the best night of her life and I hope my surprise does it.

"Hey, there's absolutely nothing wrong with you." I tell her. "You're a smart, funny as hell, attractive woman with a heart of gold. And who happens to look cute in glasses." I chuckle as I gently wipe away a stray tear from her cheek. "If guys can't see that, then fuck them. Not literally, though." I was relieved when I got her to laugh. "And don't worry. Your perfect guy will come along when you least expect it." I hear Gwen chuckle and I wonder what's so funny.

"You know, Layla said the exact same thing to me during our shopping trip."

Ah, so that's what they were talking about.

"Well, the Divas… some of them… are pretty smart when it comes to that sort of thing." I smile. "And she was right. Your dream guy's coming."

"You really think so?"

"I know so." I smile. _"Maybe, if fate permits, I'd be that guy."_ I think to myself.

* * *

-Later that Night-

FedEx Forum

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Dee and I were getting ready to go to our seats when I see John coming up to us wearing pretty much the same outfit he did last week. The only exception was this time, it was red, one of my favorite colors. I hear him say something to the usher with a grin on his face.

"Hey, make sure this one doesn't get lost." He chuckled as he pointed to me.

"Oh, ha ha!" I laugh.

"Yeah, I got the comedic timing down!" He laughed. "Anyway, I hope you girls enjoy the show!"

"Oh, we will." Dee smiled.

"Good luck tonight." I say to John.

"You just wished me luck. Now, I can't lose." He winked at me. "Have fun."

Yeah, little did I know just how unforgettable tonight was gonna be. Dee and I get to our seats and, like last time, we were on the side facing the cameras. Dee had on an Apex Predator T-shirt, blue jeans with hand painted flowers on the cuffs and black and white Air Force Ones while I had on a purple tank top, black low rise jeans and my white Converse All-Stars. My hair was down and I decided to go wavy and, of course, I had on my glasses. We both had our signs and chants ready for whichever Superstar came out. Then the music started that signaled that the show was beginning. I look over to the announce table and I see that suck up, Michael Cole. Ugh, I hated that guy with a passion and to think, he was one of my favorite announcers a while ago. Oh, I had some choice words for him if I ever got the chance. Now, on the flip side was Jerry Lawler. Man, I'm from the Dirty South and he's like a living legend when I'm from. We watched Mid-South Wrestling EVERY Saturday morning and we watched for Jerry. Whether he was a heel or a face, he was the main attraction. I had a chance to shake hands with him when I went to a house show for my high school graduation, but it didn't work out that way. I was sitting in the wrong spot. Oh, well. At least I'm closer now than last time.

"Hello, everyone and welcome to Monday Night Raw!" Michael Cole said.

"And we're back in my hometown of Memphis!" Jerry shouted happily.

I was shaken out of my daydream when I hear John's music coming on and there was a mixed reaction from the crowd as it usually was as of late. Really, the haters need to go somewhere. They're just jealous. Anyway, when John came out, the crowd erupted, me and Dee included. He gave his salute and ran into the ring throwing up his hands. I see him asking for a house mic and I knew he was gonna say something about C.M. Punk or maybe something about Triple H's retirement. I was soon gonna find out that I was wrong on both counts.

"Yo, guys! It's good to be back in Memphis!" The crowd went nuts! Gotta love hometown pride. "Before we go any further, I need to say something." He said into the mic. "Last week, we were in the Pyramid and something happened that night that nearly changed the face of the whole show. Well the whole WWE for that matter." I watch him sigh and I was trying to figure out what he was talking about. "I was in the locker room getting ready for my match and, for some reason, I still don't know myself, I was eating one of those peppermint disc candies. Then there was this loud noise that startled me and… the candy got stuck in my throat and I started to choke. I tried doing the self Heimlich but it didn't work and what was worse… I was all alone back there."

"Yeah, I saw that Tout. John looked really shaken up. Of course who wouldn't be after a near death experience like that?" Jerry asked.

The crowd was thinking about doing the whole "What" thing after every sentence he said, but when they saw the look on his face, made even clearer thanks to the TitanTron, they knew he was being dead serious.

"I mean, my whole life flashed before my eyes and I really thought I was gonna die." I could see in his face that it still shook him. Come on, nearly dying can do that to even the strongest man. "Then someone ran in and gave me the Heimlich maneuver; thankfully it worked and the candy shot out of my mouth. After I caught my breath, I got up but before I could thank this person, they ran out of the room. The only thing I remembered about the person was that they had long, black hair and a crescent moon shaped mark on their shoulder." No way, he's talking about me. But why?

"After the incident, I sent out a Tweet and a Tout letting people know what happened and that I was looking for the person who saved my life. And here's a kicker… the person was one of the fans that was at the show last week." The crowd was all abuzz as they listened to his story. Dee and I knew better and we just played along. Well, she did, I was trying to hide because I had a feeling what was gonna happen in the next few minutes. "And here's another kicker… she's in the crowd right now." The audience showed their piqued interest. "You wanna meet her?" The crowd shouted yes. "You sure?" They shouted even louder and John smiled. He rolled out of the ring and came right to me. The next thing I knew, he grabbed me, picked me up over the barricade and put me on the ring apron. He then climbed up and held the ropes open for me before climbing in himself.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the WWE Universe, I want you to meet the woman I owe my life to. Gwen… uhmm… you know what? After all this time, I don't even know your last name." He laughed.

"Yo mama would be so ashamed." I shot back with a laugh.

"HA HA! Carrie Underwood, eat your heart out!" Jerry laughed.

"Okay, okay. Let's get serious for a minute. What is your last name?" He asked me with that grin.

"Turner." I say to him.

"Well, Gwen Turner, on behalf of the WWE I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my life. I'm not kidding. Tonight would have been some tribute show with the Superstars and 10-bell ring and my face flashing across the screen with my birthday and last week's date on it. I would have died if it wasn't for you."

"You don't have to thank me." I say to him for, about, the millionth time since meeting him.

"Well, I'm doing it anyway!" He laughed. "So, as my small gift to you… you and your friend are gonna watch the rest of Raw… right there." And he pointed to the announce table where there were two seats in between Michael Cole and Jerry. The crowd is going nuts over the whole thing. My eyes bug out and I look over at Dee who had the same expression I did.

**"Shut up!"** I say in shock.

"This is my way of saying thank you." John smiled.

Man, that is one hell of a "thank you"!

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER SIX**

Okay, wow! Now that's a reward! And talk about an upgrade! From front row to announce table? Just what's gonna happen During Raw? For that matter, what's gonna happen AFTER Raw when it's time for her and Dee to go back home to Greenville? If you wanna know, gimme a holla! Give a review. Tell your friends so they'll gimme a review! Till then, PEACE!


	7. Greatest night EVER! Worst morning EVER!

YO! I'm back with another chapter and man, things have been hot here! I mean over 100 degrees hot. I hate heat advisories and I hate the weathermen who LIE… and yes, you do LIE… about when they're supposed to end. Anyhoo… Let's get this show on the road, shall we? I want to thank my loyal readers and reviewers for their love and continued support and I wanna send a special CENATION SHOUT-OUT to my newest reviewers: **KATIKATI9027, STRAIGHTEDGEPUNKXXX and DEANWINCHESTER'SLITTLEBABEXX!** Thanks, guys! :D Now… **ON WITH THE FIC!**

**DISCLAIMER:** You know the drill. I own NOTHING except, Gwen, Dee, Thunder and any and all UNFAMILIAR people and places. That is all!

(A/N: This is my longest chapter to date! I'm kinda taking a few cues from the RAW that aired on Sept. 3, 2012 and redoing them to fit my story. I KNOW that some people weren't even present and in some of those matches, certain people lost… but this is MY story… so there! Okay. Time in! :D )

* * *

-FedEx Forum, Monday Night RAW-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Man, for years, I've wanted to attend a live Raw event… now I'm at TWO and this time… wow!

After John told me I'd be sitting at the announcer's table for the rest of Raw, they went to commercial and security let Dee out of the front row to come the announce table. John jumped down and helped me down after. Okay, I can get used to him picking me up like that. Michael Cole stepped out from behind the desk to let me and Dee in. Dee sat next to Jerry and I… lucky me… sat next to Cole. But it's cool. I'm still close enough to finally shake hands with a living legend! I swear my autograph book and photo album are gonna be filled by the time I go home.

"Well, it's nice to meet you both." Jerry said. "I'm-"

"Jerry Lawler! We know!" Dee said excitedly. "Gwen and I have watched you on Mid-South wrestling every Saturday morning since we were kids."

"And the Jerry Lawler Show on Sundays." I added. Man, this is so cool! "You were- well, are awesome!"

"A couple of fans! Where are you two from?" Jerry asked.

"Greenville, Mississippi. But we get Channel 5 so we never missed a show when you were on." I smiled.

"Now, that's dedication. Good to have you ladies aboard." He chuckled and shook our hands. I look over and Michael didn't look so enthused over the fact that Jerry was getting most of the attention. "Oh, stop pouting. You look ridiculous."

"I just don't see why they're making such a fuss over you, Jerry." Michael said.

"I guess the whole 'we watched him since we were kids' thing went over your head." I said simply. "Just chill out. One day someone's gonna gush over you like we're doing to him." I just shake my head and look at the headsets kinda weirdly and Jerry chuckled.

"Don't worry, girls. Just follow our lead. Sometimes you'll hear the directors say something, just go with it. But act natural. You'll do fine."

"If you say so, King." Dee smirked as she and I put our headsets on. As soon as we did, we heard the director go through the countdown. In a few seconds, Me and Dee will be live!

"Okay, we're on in 5… 4… 3… 2…"

"And we're back on Monday Night RAW. Right now, we're being joined by two lovely young ladies. One, you just met before the commercial break. Gwen Turner and this is…" Michael Cole stalled.

"Dee-Lo Maxwell. No relation." She chuckled.

"Well, nice to finally put a name to you, Dee-Lo." Jerry said with a smile. "So, how are you two enjoying yourselves?"

"Oh, this is such a blast! I still can't believe this is happening!" I said. And I didn't. Stuff like this only happens in fanfiction!

"Well, it is." Jerry chuckled. "I mean you saved John Cena's life. This is what happens."

"Personally, I wished you just let the guy choke." Michael Cole said.

"That is a terrible thing to say! And you wonder why nobody likes you." I said simply.

"Hey, the MIZ thinks I'm awesome!"

"Like I said, and you wonder why nobody likes you." I repeated getting a laugh from Jerry.

"Okay, I see you two are gonna get along great." The King chuckled.

Cole gave me this look and I gave him one saying something along the lines of "Try me". Now, something must have happened during the conversation because Cole and Jerry looked at each other and gave each other a slight shrug. I guess they were gonna let us in on it during the next break. I'm not sure. I see Sheamus in the ring about to have his match when the sound of Punk's music began playing. I knew he's supposed to be a heel so Dee and I play along. He and Sheamus are talking back and forth about respect and then AJ comes out.

"No disrespect, Punk, and no disrespect, Sheamus." The diminutive General Manager of Raw began. "But, I have an announcement to make. Night of Champions is less than two weeks away which has given me an idea for tonight's two main events. In one match, the challengers for the World title and the WWE title will face each other which means Albert del Rio will face John Cena. And the other main event is gonna be a Champion v. Champion match." The crowd went nuts and Sheamus looked pleased about this development. Punk… not so much. "Which means World Champ Sheamus will face WWE Champ C.M. Punk." They throw each other smug looks and when AJ's music started up, she began skipping around the ring. She waved to the two of us before skipping back up the ramp.

I hear Michael Cole talking about the two matches and Night of Champions and, okay, I admit, he's pretty good. Just cut out all the brown nosing shit and he'd be a great announcer. I hear him mention Randy Orton and Dolph Ziggler's match next and Dee fans herself.

"I'm looking forward to that one!" Dee shouted.

So, they do flip flop. I remember seeing them fight in Last Friday's SmackDown and Randy won that time. The second Commercial break came up and Jerry motioned for us to remove our headphones.

"Hey, girls. We just got word from our directors and they seem to like what you bring to the commentary."

"Is that good or bad?" Dee asked.

"Oh, it's very good. They're basically giving you carte blanche to say or do whatever you want…"

"Within reason. You can't go attacking the wrestlers or valets or anything like that, but you can talk smack to them. But if I were you, I'd keep from doing that."

"Too late." I said simply. And Jerry let us know to put our headsets back on. Five seconds to the end of the break. I was about to say something when…

"Excuse me! **EXCUSE ME!**" A shrill voice screamed.

"You're excused, already! Just turn down the volume!" I shout. "Geez, where did she get that voice? Sirens R Us?"

She introduces Dolph Ziggler and he comes out wearing this God awful shirt that says "It ain't showing off, if you can back it up". He then turns around and does this gyrating move. Please.

"Okay, I could have gone the rest of my life without that." Dee groaned.

"What? He's Mr. Money in the Bank. He can do what he wants." Michael Cole said.

"Ugh, you sure your last name isn't Hoover because you're the biggest suck up I've ever seen in my life." I say in annoyance. "And also, Dolph's shirt… misleading advertising. You should NEVER do that move and wear a shirt talking about backing it up unless you actually HAVE something to back up! Chippendales, you can rest easy. Your jobs are safe."

I see Dolph enter the ring and try to talk smack to us.

"Yeah, after this show, you should try out for 'What Not to Wear'! You'd be a shoe-in!" Dee shouted back before she waved him off. Vicki came over to us and, despite all the things I can't stand about her, I do like one thing.

"I like your hair." I say sincerely. She looked at me kinda weird. I guess she was expecting an insult. But I was serious. One thing you gotta know about me: If I like something or hate something, I'll tell you the truth.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It looks really good. If I had the guts to go short with mine, I think I'd try that style."

"Oh, well, thank you." She smiled.

"Girl, were you serious?" Dee asked me.

"Yeah. I like her haircut."

Anyway, then comes Randy's theme song and the crowd erupts. These headsets work because I know the guys are screaming their heads off behind me. I see Randy walk out to the ring and Cole is talking about Twitter and how everyone's on it talking about last week's news. He invites them to join in on #Raw. The Viper gets up on the turnbuckle facing us and does that arm thing he always does. He looks down at me and Dee and flashes that trademark smirk of his.

"Mmm, if he wasn't married…" Dee chuckled.

"Um, Dee? You have a man, remember?" I say.

"I know, but we flirt with other people all the time. We have an agreement. As long as it's just harmless flirting and it doesn't go any further than that, it's cool. It's all about trust. He trusts me not to stray and I trust him not to do anything to make me cut off his nads and feed them to him." She said with the biggest grin.

"Are you serious right now?" Cole asked her with a look of disbelief.

"That's the kind of bond we have. Our relationship is based on the fact that we're both nuts and we like it!" She laughed. "I love you, DeVon, baby!"

"You are a piece of work, Dee-Lo!" Jerry laughed.

I just shake my head. Little did I know that the people in the Director's truck are laughing. Apparently, their loving us. Throughout the match, the four of us provide commentary and play-by-play during Randy's match. He had Dolph in the corner and dos this wild spin move to get the pin, but Dolph cheats with a tight pull and gets the win.

"And here is your winner… if Dennis the Menace grew up and went into male stripping… Dolph Ziggler." I say into my headset.

"Not one of your favorites, I gather." Cole replied.

"You catch on quick." I say to him. As Dolph and his harpy Vicki walk back up the ramp, I hear…

**"AWWWWWWWWWWEESOOOOOOOOOME!"**

"Oh, have mercy." The girls groaned.

"He's got a suit on. You know what that means…" Gwen cringed.

"Guest commentator." They said in unison.

Shit! I'm really gonna have to keep from strangling this guy. I haven't met him as of yet, but I have a feeling this initial meeting isn't gonna end well. Who knows, maybe he's one of the ones who's really nice off screen. Only time will tell.

"The must-see champ is now the must-hear champ! Monday night just got AWESOME!" The Miz said. I just rolled my eyes at the whole thing. "So, you must be the chick everyone's talking about. You saved Cena's life. Why?"

"Uh, because it's what a decent human being would do? Something you obviously know nothing about." I say back. "Now how about we not talk about you and get on to something more important like this whole anger management class Daniel Bryan is attending. It was a big thing already but now Kane's there, too? Whoo, boy!"

"I agree. Who knows what could happen in class." Jerry added.

"No offense to Kane, but if I found out he was in any class of mine… I'd cut." Dee chuckled. "The dude is just frickin'… he makes Stephen King look like Mr. Rogers."

"And that's saying something. But right now, let's see what was in their lesson plan. Last week, they had to do an anger collage. Let's how well that worked out."

They cut to Daniel and Kane's anger management class with Dr, Shelby and Daniel pills out this sheet of paper with the words "yes" and "no" written all over it. He talks about how he used to say yes and then how he used to say no and how everyone kept saying yes… then he tore it up and said I can't take anymore. That makes two of us. Then Kane… yeah. He has a blank sheet of paper that he crumples up and throws in the metal trashcan. Then, with his move we all know, the can explodes in flames before he sits down. Then Daniel had the nerve to call him Teacher's pet.

"Uhhhhh… you know what? There are no words." I say. "Even Merriam-Webster couldn't invent a word for that."

"I actually agree with you." The Miz nodded. My best friend looked in our direction with bug eyes.

"Y'all agree!? We're so screwed." Dee cringed.

"In any rate, I can't wait for the next match. Sin Cara, the high flyer from Mexico is set to team up with Rey Mysterio for the first time tonight on RAW." Jerry said with excitement.

They then cut to his match on SmackDown which aired last Friday, another flip flop, and they showed Cody trying to take off Rey's mask. Then Sin Cara came in with the save giving Rey the chance to do a 619 on Cody. Then, and this was fun, Sin Cara puts a duplicate mask on the Dashing One's head. Nice! Now we're at another break and we all take our headsets off.

"I honestly don't know what the appeal is with you two, but the directors just told me that they're loving your commentary." Michael Cole said with a shrug.

"I dunno. Maybe y'all needed a more feminine touch." I chuckle.

"Anyway, why are you acting so threatened by us? Just chill out." Dee said. I could tell Cole was getting on her nerves, too.

"I'm not threatened. Especially not by a couple of little girls." Cole insisted.

"Then quit acting like a big baby. It's just one night; it ain't gonna kill ya." I say to him. Okay, for someone in their 40's, he was acting like a spoiled brat.

"Hey, we're about to come back from the break." Jerry informed us. I just took a breath and slid my headset back on.

"This is Monday Night Raw and We are live in Memphis!" Cole said.

(A/N: Yeah, I know Raw on Sept. 3, 2012 was in Chicago. I said I was taking some cues from that show to fit this chapter. :p)

After he said that, the pyros went off and Rey's music began. Dee and I were singing along to it and just having fun. Justin Roberts was announcing Rey as he came up to the ring. Along the way he gave his mask to a little kid and they touched foreheads. When he saw another kid with a mask, he did the same thing. It was just amazing how he can connect like that. Next Justin announced Sin Cara and we both watch him run and slide into the ring before standing on the middle rope. He pointed to us and nodded before he did his trademark flip and his pyros went off. I heard The Miz make a comment about flashy entrances not winning championships… he does. I just rolled my eyes. Yeah, we'll see how confident you are when you LOSE said championship, hot shot! Next to come out was this big dude named Tensai. I've seen him on tv and the only thing I can say is I feel really bad for Sakamoto. I mean, come on, dude! Harness your Asian heritage and go ninja on his ass! Something! I know this is a show, but bullies are bullies and I hate them with a passion.

"And here comes the man who has become obsessed with the masks." Michael Cole stated.

"Yeah, I don't get it, though. He had a mask when his nose was broken, right? It's a mask. Get over it!" I said. "Maybe if he quit spending time trying to unmask them, he'd actually win some matches?"

"I don't get the masks. I mean, when you go out you want people to recognize you. You want people to take pictures. Sign autographs. You get free stuff like that." The Miz prattled on.

"That's not what it's about for them." I interrupted. "In Lucha Libre, the mask represents history, heritage and tradition. Really, the mask is their whole identity. It's not about anything superficial like getting free stuff or autographs. But someone like you wouldn't get that."

"Well said." Jerry chimed in. "On both counts." He chuckled. "Whoa! Nice move from Sin Cara!"

"And it looks like we're at a standoff and that takes us to a commercial break!" Michael Cole reported.

Now as we break, the match is still going on and Cody had tagged in this huge Tensai. I remember his last match with Sin Cara and he's looking to get some revenge over his loss. I can imagine someone as big as him losing to someone basically half his size… it's so wicked cool! I love underdogs!

"So how are we doing?" Dee asked the group.

"I think you two are doing a great job. Keep it up." Jerry smiled.

"Just so you know, I was supposed to do that whole mask history." Michael Cole said to me sounding more and more like a little baby.

"Cole, relax. It sounded better coming from her anyway." Jerry smirked.

"And what was that crack about me not knowing anything about 'that'. What's 'that'?" The Miz asked me.

Okay, I'm about to give this guy a verbal SmackDown.

"'That' is integrity. Even though they wear masks, I can still tell they're amazing people on the inside. Your face is open for the whole world to see and right now all I see is a shallow, superficial little prick who thinks just because he's famous, people should fawn all over him. You may be good looking on the outside, but inside is the ugliest person I could ever meet."

I hear the people behind me applaud and pat my shoulders. I guess they agree with me.

"I couldn't have said it any better myself!" Jerry laughed as we were given the signal that we were coming back from commercial.

Now we're back and Cody gets tagged back in my Tensai and he's going to town on Sin Cara. He's kicking him in the corner and when the ref comes in to break it up, Tensai sneaks in with a headbutt and here goes Miz running his mouth.

"Cody puts too much focus on the masks. He could have put Sin Cara away weeks ago, but… I get it, I get it. I've seen him backstage with his mask off and he is ugly. He is hideous. Maybe you could hire him out to Halloween parties, maybe scare the little kids a bit because he is ugly."

"I know you're not bagging on anybody's looks." I said back. "I've seen Rey without a mask and he's really cute. Now I've never seen Sin Cara's face but I'd bet money he's way better looking than you. And you have NO room to talk about ugly when you do that neck thing and poke your lip out like Elvis with a nervous tic. No offense, King."

"None taken." He laughed. He was enjoying me lay into him,

"I mean, what IS that? If you're trying to do the ghetto girl neck roll, honey, you need practice because you are WAY off!"

That shut him up because we look back at the ring and we see Sin Cara flip Cody into the ropes long enough to tag in Rey Mysterio. I hear Miz talk about if Rey had missed a step since losing to him at Summer Slam and he actually gave him props. Maybe there's a glimmer of decency in there… maybe. Rey is attempting a pin and Tensai sticks his nose… or rather his boot into Cody's business breaking up the count. Now he has Rey up for a Power Bomb as the ref counts, but Rey wriggles out of it. He then kicks Tensai's legs so he falls into the ropes. And Dee and I start shouting…

**"619! 619!"**

"Why don't you two zip it!?" The Miz snapped.

"Why don't you make us!?" I snap back. "We're fans first so… allowed to chant! Suck it up and deal with it!" I can see the Miz's face and he's not happy with the fact that we have carte blanche while we're here. I love it!

I look back and Sin Cara does a missile drop kick from the top knocking Tensai out of the ring. Nice! I dunno, it just seems like the wrestlers are putting a little extra effort into their matches tonight. Cody slams Rey into the mat and tried to get a pin, but Rey got his shoulders up in time. Good. He then goes for a power bomb and Rey counters it with a Hurricanrana sending him… into the ropes. Hehehehehe.

**"619! 619!"**

And Rey delivers. After a legal tag to Sin Cara, he goes to the top and does this splash and it looked like he missed it, but he got up to get the pin on Cody.

"You gotta be impressed with those two." Cole reported.

"I'll say. If they ever decide to team up and go for the titles, they'd be a force to be reckoned with." Dee added.

"I can see it, you're impressed, Miz." Jerry said.

"I am. I am. I can't deny that."

"Love the in ring celebration. Giving each other props. That is true Lucha Libre." I smile.

"Well the next match up is Brodus Clay, the Funkasaurus taking on Damien Sandow. But right now, we're gonna take a look at Class number two of Daniel Bryan's and Kane's Anger Management. Can't wait to see this." Cole reported.

We see in the TitanTron everyone, well almost everyone, holding hands in a circle. Then Dr. Shelby asks Kane and Daniel to face him and do… the trust fall. Oh, boy. This isn't gonna end well. But to my shock, and everyone else's, Kane catches him. Now the doc wants them to work together to catch Harold and judging by the look on his face, he's not thrilled about it. And rightfully so because NEITHER one catches him. Oddly enough, it brings about a breakthrough. Weird.

"WHAT!? 'I understand you?'"

"Progress."

"Yeah. Let's go with that. Progress." Dee says with a nod as I just shake my head. Now I thought we were gonna go to another break, but they go right into the next match. I hear Cameron and Naomi introduce Brodus Clay and then he returned the favor by introducing them.

(A/N: Yeah, I know Cameron is suspended, but I had this thought out before I knew. So, I'm keeping it. LOL)

"Funk is on a roll… funk is on a roll…." Music… and you know what's gonna happen now!

"Dee, you know what's about to happen and I apologize to the people behind me, but when a jam's on, I gotta dance!"

"Hit it, girl!" Dee cheered.

I take off my headset and I do my own dance. Man, I feel like I'm back in the club with this music. I look over and I see Brodus and the Funkadactyls pointing at me and smiling. When they finish, I can hear some cheering behind me as I sit down.

"Sorry, y'all! But the music was callin' me!" I say.

"I don't think they're complaining." Jerry chuckled. "In fact, there's a new trend. #BabyGotBack is trending worldwide on Twitter! I think the guys back there enjoyed the view."

I look back and, sure enough, most of the fans behind us are guys and they wanted an encore.

"Maybe if you're good." I laugh.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

I'm watching the show on a monitor in the back with some of the other superstars and we were enjoying the show almost as much as the girls were.

"Man, they are really laying into Cole and Miz." Sheamus laughed. "Not like those two don't deserve to get knocked down a peg or six."

"They got spunk. I'll say that for them. Kaitlyn agreed.

"Tell me about it. And Gwen isn't backing down, is she?" AJ smiled.

"I didn't know she could dance like that. Girl got some moves!" R-Truth nodded.

"You should have seen her at the club last week." I smirked. Yeah, I got a front row seat to her dancing… twice. I am slightly jealous of the guys sitting behind her, though. Lucky dogs.

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, I had my fun and now here comes the killjoy. I hear "The Messiah" playing and I'm thinking someone's got a high opinion of himself.

"And, finally someone to interject some intelligence into the show!" Miz said.

"Because, Lord knows you're not doing it." I say back.

"In any rate, Damien Sandow is the intellectual savior of the WWE. He's here to bring the Age of Enlightenment."

"By talking down to people?" I add. "You don't enlighten anyone by telling them they're dumb. He may be intelligent, but he's not very smart. There are consequences when you say the wrong thing to the wrong person. In a normal situation, I can carry on a conversation with him and keep up just fine. But since he wants to be an arrogant snob about it, I choose not to."

"You certainly have a lot of opinions, don't you?" Cole finally asked me.

"Like the old saying goes: opinions are like anuses, everybody's got one!" Dee says with a smirk and the Funkadactyls cheer. "Now, let's continue this discussion later; the match is starting."

Okay, I know I'm neither Cole or the Miz's favorite person right now, but WHO CARES!? I'm having a blast and doing something most people just dream about! As the match goes on, Cameron and Naomi rooting for Brodus while control flip flops between the two. It's getting close to the end of the match and I see Damien slide out and get ready to beat another hasty retreat. Oh, Hell no! not this time.

"Um, excuse me, but I have something I need to discuss with Mr. Sandow." I say. I take off my headset and jump over the desk.

"You can't put your hands on him!" Cole shouts.

"I won't! Chill out!" I yell back. I run to stand in front of Damien and put on the air of an inquisitive young girl with a question. "Um, Mr. Sandow? I have a question and it's been bothering me all night. I was hoping that you, with your infinite wisdom could help me." I have my hands up to stop him and to also prove that I'm not touching him because the cameras were on me the whole time.

"That depends. What do you wish to know?" Damien asked.

"Well, I wanted to get your view on the effects of shows like this and how it relates to the decline of education in our country." Of course it was a load of bull, but I hoped this guy would be gullible enough to have a shovel.

"Why, that is a very intelligent query, young lady. "I'd be happy to offer my insight."

Gotcha. Now to reel this sucker in. I look behind Damien as he prattles on and give Brodus a look for him to get him back in the ring. Brodus smiled, got out of the ring and grabbed the smartass. He threw him back into the ring and quickly performed his splash. 1-2-3! And Brodus wins. I look at the camera and say "I didn't touch him" before winking.

"What in the world!? She can't do that!" Miz snarled.

"Hey, you told her not to touch him and she never laid a finger on the guy." Jerry said in my defense.

"It still shouldn't count." Cole balked.

"But it does so quit crying!" Dee replied. "You go, girl!"

Brodus and the girls were dancing in the ring with some of their Funkateers and I was on my way back to the table when Brodus called me in.

"Get in here, girl!" He said with a smile.

"Not without my BFF!" I smile back.

Brodus nodded and called for Dee to come in as well.

"Come on!"

"Boys, I just got an invite to a party! Excuse me!" Dee laughed as she left the table.

Brodus held the ropes open as we got in and when we did, it was on! Dee and I danced and had just as much fun as anyone else in the ring.

"I don't believe this. Now they're roped in." Cole shook his head.

"They're having fun, Cole." Jerry laughed.

"Well, I wanna thank the Miz for joining us at ringside."

"It was a pleasure, Cole." The Miz smirked.

"And when we return, it'll be the first of our two main events. Sheamus v. C.M. Punk in a Champion v. Champion match."

We're in the middle of another break and Dee and I join the guys back at the table.

"Man, that was fun!" Dee laughed.

"Okay, I officially found something new to put on my iPod!" I smile. "I got myself a new jam!"

"You do realize what you did was ridiculous." Cole glowered.

"Cole, I've seen you dance. You have no room to talk." I say back. "Besides, you didn't have to watch. Oh, and I'm sorry, Jerry. I think Dee and I are stealing your thunder."

"Are you kidding? I'm enjoying it!" He laughed. "Anytime you girls wanna put Cole sore in his place, by all means!"

We come back from the break and we all put our headsets on.

"And we're back in the longest running weekly episodic television show in history! Monday Night Raw and in case you missed it, here's what happened in the previous match between Brodus Clay." Cole said.

"Now we see Mr. Sandow make his exit…"

"You mean turn tail." I interject.

"As I was saying, Mr. Sandow was trying to make his exit when… out of the blue… YOU go over claiming you had a 'question' to ask the savior of the WWE after I told you you couldn't touch or attack any of the Superstars."

"And I didn't. I never laid a finger on him the whole time." I rebutted with a smirk. "It's not my fault he likes to flaunt his cerebral capacity. But it does prove my point, though."

"What point?"

"That just because you're intelligent, doesn't mean you're smart because if he was as smart as he claimed, he would have seen that my 'question' was a ploy. I was trying to stop him and make sure he got his comeuppance."

"Wait… you tricked him!"

"And he fell for it hook, line and sinker." I smirk. "The intellectual savior outsmarted by a member of the so-called 'unwashed masses'. I LOVE irony!"

"I bet you don't even know what comeuppance means!"

"Comeuppance-getting what's coming to you. Yes, I do know." I smirk.

"She told you, Cole." Jerry laughed.

I hear Sheamus' music playing and the Great White walked out to the ring first. Then, we hear Punk's music and, like last time, Dee and I play along with the fact that he's a heel.

"Um… he's still in his street clothes. I guess he missed the memo about his match with Sheamus. I mean, how could he? He was standing right up there when AJ told him he had one." Dee said.

We all listen to C.M. Punk go on about respect… again. Only this time he makes a reference to the fact that it was Labor Day and how most of us were taking the day off of work. And what he says next doesn't sit well with the crowd.

"That's why I'm sure they're all gonna respect the fact that I'm doing the same thing."

Punk threw the mic down and walks out of the ring and presumably out of the arena.

"Punk's punking out!" I say. "Everyone's here to see you wrestle and you leave them high and dry like that? He has no right demanding respect after this."

Sheamus picks the mic up and reminds Punk that what he was doing was disrespecting the WWE Universe because they wanted to see the match. And they did. The boos prove it. They then cut to backstage where AJ tries to convince Punk not to leave.

"Check my contract. I have personal days and this is one of them." Punk told AJ before getting into a black car and driving off. Talk about leaving someone in the lurch. Matt Striker, bless his heart, tries to get an interview with AJ and she apparently doesn't know who he is. At this point, I don't think she even cares, but she says she'd find him an opponent and I believe her.

"Stay strong, girl. Don't let this rattle you." I say.

After the next break, Dee and I hear…

"Alberto del Rio?" We both say. "He's gonna be Sheamus' opponent?"

"Uh, nope. I think he's coming to our table, ladies." Jerry assumed. Unfortunately, he was right.

"Well, he's gonna be facing Sheamus at the Night of Champions in two weeks…" Cole said.

"Again." I add. "I mean, how many do overs does one person need? Kids playing hopscotch don't ask for as many as he does."

The next thing I hear is music and I'm not familiar with it. I am familiar with who comes out to it.

"Oh, come on." I say.

"Well, looks like Jack Swagger is gonna be Sheamus' opponent." Cole reported. "It's nice to have you here, Mr. del Rio."

"It's good to be here, Michael."

"Ladies, I assume you know about Alberto del Rio?" Cole asked us. Dee and I just look at each other and we both say in a deadpan voice:

"We've met."

"Yes, we have." Alberto said. Needless to say this was gonna be a very… interesting match.

"In any rate, Sheamus is in a predicament. He's gonna need eyes in the back of his head with you here and with Swagger in the ring." Cole pointed out. "Most likely he volunteered for this match to stop a losing streak that's going on 9 months."

The match goes on with the usual banter and after a few minutes. Swagger comes over to us. I guess he hasn't forgotten our last encounter.

"Yeah, did you learn how to use pronouns yet? If not, you don't need to be talking to us. Go on about your business!" I shout at him. He's so distracted with me, it gives Sheamus a chance to capitalize. The World Champ breaks out a submission move nobody's seen before. And, thanks to it, he gains the win much to the chagrin of Alberto and Ricardo.

"Nice! He's got more to his arsenal!" I say.

Now, as Swagger leaves, I see Ricardo go to one side of the ring while Sheamus and Alberto exchange words over here. Del Rio then runs to the ring and catches Sheamus off guard. The champ gains control but Ricardo comes in and tries to pull the Irishman off his boss. DUMB MOVE! Sheamus just throws him into the turnbuckle and then delivers the White Noise to del Rio. He then looks to the crowd… and it's a look we all know well. We know what's coming! BROGUE KICK! He sets it up and goes in but Ricardo pushes Alberto out of the way taking the full brunt of the kick. I see Alberto's face and he looks genuinely concerned for his personal ring announcer. Maybe he does have some decency in there. During the break, medics manage to revive the guy and cart him out on a gurney to get more medical attention. Now we get to the Divas match and Eve comes out first. So, that's her name. She's the same one who gave me that mean look at the gym a while back. And when she gets to the ring, she sneers at me.

"Whoa! What did you do to her?" Cole asked.

"Who you asking? I never even talked to her." I say truthfully. Anyway, after she and I exchange looks, Kaitlyn's music hits and she comes out. They show how she beat Eve at that battle royal two weeks ago and it was beautiful!

"Now, we're being joined by the Divas Champion, the lovely Layla." Cole announced. "Glad you could join us."

"Thanks, Michael, Jerry. And hey, you two!"

"Hey, Layla." We smile.

"How are you enjoying yourselves?"

"It's so frickin' awesome!" Dee grinned.

"Total blast!" I add. "Good luck in your match at Night of Champions."

"I'm glad you're having a good time and thanks."

The match progresses and Eve wins. But, here's the weird thing. She sees to Kaitlyn and shakes her hand but after that, she comes to the announce table and shakes Layla's hand. I don't blame Layla for being apprehensive. When Eve goes back to the ramp, I have my own comment.

"They smiling in your face. All the time, they wanna take your place. The backstabbers…"

"Backstabbers." Dee and I sing.

"Watch her. I don't trust her as far as I can throw her." Dee said.

(A/N: I know there is more, but I'm just gonna skip to the Kane/Daniel hug fiasco, the slap with AJ and Vicki and of course the last match with John and Alberto. :) Lots of stuff and I don't wanna make this chapter too long.)

After a promo with AJ and Jack Swagger, we go to the last part of Kane and Daniel Bryan's Anger management class. I won't go into much detail, but everyone left when they started having words… smart move. Even the Doc left angry. Now Cole is letting everyone know that it was gonna be up to the WWE universe to decide what Kane and Daniel should do. The choices were fight each other, fight together in a tag team or… and this is a laugh… "hug it out". Time passes and more matches take place and it's time for both guys to enter the ring and find out what they have to do. Dee used the tablet to go on her Twitter account to vote. Personally, I'm curious to see what she and everyone else chose. The moment of truth came and… HUG IT OUT!? Oh, this won't end well! After two failed attempts, they actually hug… and shake hands. That's a shock. But when they kinda give each other slaps on the arm… that's when it went downhill.

"Oh, snap! They should have quit while they're ahead." I say. The Big Red machine goes off and lays into Daniel and is about to decapitate the guy with a folding chair, but the refs stop him. Daniel uses this chance to hit Kane over the head with it and he wisely bails.

"Okay, did anyone NOT see that coming!?" Dee asks the group.

"Stevie Wonder could have seen that coming." Jerry laughed.

"Yeah, this is why sometimes, the best way to deal with anger is to beat the living crap outta something! You have to let it out! Tekken, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter… I use them to vent my frustrations."

We 're about to go to another break when Vicki comes screeching in and uses the folding chair to launch a sit-in. Last week AJ beat the snot out of her and now she demands an apology. AJ's music hits and she comes out, but the look on her face isn't so cheery. Plus, she's not skipping to the ring. RED FLAG! She tells us that the Board of Directors informed her that she's not to put her hands on any superstar or manager ever again and, on top of that, she has to apologize to Vicki. Ugh! Man, I feel bad for her. So after she apologizes to the harpy, Vicki keeps goading her until she gets an apology "that means something". Bitch, she just did. Let it go! AJ does and then Vicki slaps her across the face not once, but twice! Now she has the audacity to skip up the ramp leaving AJ to have a fit in the ring. I don't blame her.

"Just stay strong. You're still the GM. Fire her!" I shout. What? She still has that power. I feel so bad for her. I mean, Okay so Vicki got her revenge with the slap. I get that. But she should have only gotten one!

"Ladies and Gentlemen, coming up next is the main event between John Cena and Alberto del Rio in a Falls Count Anywhere match Live on Monday Night Raw."

"Oh, yeah! I've been waiting for this one!" I smile.

"Hmm, I wonder why." Dee chuckled.

We go to break and pull off our headsets.

"Okay, I feel bad for AJ but I don't envy her. If I had the choice between fighting as a wrestler or being a GM knowing I can't touch anyone… WRESTLER!" I say.

"I'd choose the same. Firing doesn't have the same satisfaction as pounding the snot out of someone." Dee agreed.

"We need more women like you in the world." Jerry smiled.

"Women like us don't come along often. Dee's snapped up; her man's at home watching as we speak and me… well, I'm still looking."

We get the cue that we're coming off break and put our headsets back on. Cole talks about the matches at Night of Champions with John Cena going against C.M. Punk for the WWE title and Alberto del Rio going after Sheamus' World title… again.

"Honestly. He should change his name to Alberto Do Over." I say in annoyance.

I hear Jerry and Dee laugh. Cole is shaking his head but that doesn't matter as some very familiar music hits the air. I hear those first eight notes and I go nuts!

"Yeah, been waiting for this!" I shout.

I smile as John comes out and I can't hear what he's saying to the camera. I guess I will when I watch on YouTube.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

Now, it's my turn to go out and, as usual, there's a mix of cheers and boos, but this time there are more cheers. I look to the camera and talk to the WWE Universe at home.

"I feel great! I'm here in Memphis and I'm alive! And it's all thanks to you, Gwen!" I wink at the camera before I give my salute and run to the ring. The ring guy announces me as I bounce off the ropes a few times and throw my hat to the crowd. I then go over to the side where the announce table is and I blow Gwen a kiss. I see her looking down and I know she's smiling… and maybe blushing. I don't think I'll ever get tired of that.

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

I'm sitting here and John blows me a kiss. Oh, my God! I just look down, but I can't help but smile. Damn it; those dimples get me every time.

"Whoa, is there something going on between you and him?" Cole asked. NOW he's interested.

"Yeah, he just blew you a kiss." Jerry chuckled.

"It's probably just to thank me for saving him." I'm blushing like 80 going West but it was sweet.

"Girl, don't front! He's so flirting with you!" Dee teases. "Oh, man! Check it out, girl! You're trending again! This time it's #Cena'sHero!"

"Get out!" I say with excitement. Sure enough, I'm a trend! Who knew? Next, Alberto comes out walking down the aisle. Too bad, because I had the chant "It's a rental" all ready! The match gets underway and they are already going "Let's Go, Cena!/Cena Sucks!"

"Lemme tell you. Nobody evokes more emotion out of a crowd like John Cena." Cole referenced.

I see Alberto go to the top turnbuckle and when he jumped, John catches him with a dropkick. Nice move!

(A/N: We all know how this match ended on Raw this past Monday, but I'm changing it. Why? Cause I can! LOL)

The fight spills out of the ring and around to us. Alberto tries to throw John into the ring steps, but it gets countered but del Rio gracefully hops over the steps only to get Ungracefully knocked down by a clothesline. John goes for the pin but Alberto kicks out.

"Excuse me, ladies." John says to us.

We all get up and move back because this is the part of the show where the announce table is abused. John rips the top cover off. He pulls out all the monitors and microphones and after he does, Del Rio used the corner of the desk to launch himself up to kick John in the back of the head. Okay, I can't stand the guy, but that was a good move. He then points at me and Dee saying that he was gonna take out our hero. He goes in for the pin but there's a kickout by John. The look on Alberto's face is like "What do I have to do to put this guy away!?" Meanwhile, Dee and I are cheering for John to get up. He does and goes for the, I think, third F.U.

"He's going for another F.U!" I said.

"It's called the Attitude Adjustment." Cole corrected.

"No, YOU call it the Attitude Adjustment. To me, it is, was and always WILL be the F.U."

As I say this, Alberto rams John into the ring post and we both scream. Del Rio grabs a folding chair and sets up to hit John with it. Luckily, he dodges out of the way and I think Alberto hurt his hand in the process. Good! Leave John alone, you jackass! After throwing the pompous right guy over the barrier, John moves the ring steps to the table. He pulls Del Rio back and hoists him over his shoulder. He brings him to the steps and tries for another F.U. but he weasels out of it. He grabs Cena and throws him back for a suplex, but they both get the raw end of that deal. Del Rio tries for a pin, but no go! John kicks out again. Over time, the match goes backstage and John FINALLY lands his F.U. The ref goes over and…

"1-2-3!" He gets the win! But his victory would be short lived because guess who comes back!

"What the-" We all say and we see C.M. Punk hit the GTS on John. Now he's laid out as Punk goes back into the same car he got in earlier. But here's the kicker… Paul Heyman's driving!? And that's how the show ends this week.

* * *

**-After RAW-**

Me and Dee are in the locker room area with some of the superstars and in walks John with an ice pack.

"Are you okay?" I ask. Okay, I know it's scripted, but you can still get hurt doing this.

"I'm fine. After last week, a GTS feels pretty damn good." John chuckles.

"Don't even joke." I smile. "Oh, and way to embarrass me on national tv." I laugh.

"What? It seemed like the right thing to do." John smirked.

"Someone has a crush!" The divas sing. Dee is NOT helping things by singing along.

"Okay, change of subject please?" I laugh. "Be honest. How did we do at the table tonight?"

"I never laughed so hard in my life!" Sheamus grinned.

"Same here. I love how you put Cole and the Miz in their places." Kaitlyn smiled.

"That was fun." I smirk. "Tough luck on your match, though."

"Ah, it's cool. Not the first time I lost. Won't be the last." She nodded.

"I liked seeing you dance finally!" R-Truth said. "John said you had some moves and he didn't lie."

"I do alright." I smirk.

"We had to keep a straight face with you, Punk. You make a convincing bad guy." Dee nodded.

"Well, thank you!" And he did his best impression of an evil laugh… which wasn't that great because he coughed in the middle. "Man, how do those guys do it?"

"But, really. This is the best night of our lives. I'm just sorry it has to end because I have to be back home by tomorrow morning." I say sadly. Most of them were upset about it, too. Nobody more than John.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

I hate the fact that Gwen and Dee are leaving tonight. I'd give a year's salary to have her with me for one more day.

"I wish you didn't have to go back." I say.

"I wish we didn't, either." She tells me. "But we have to. Unfortunately, I have work in the morning."

We just stand there looking at each other not really knowing what to say yet. Then I hear everyone doing violin impressions like off a soap opera and laughing.

"Shut up!" I laugh. "I guess I can take you both back on my bus."

"You sure you don't mind?" Gwen asks.

"Of course not. Now, if you left without saying goodbye to the guys here, there might be some problems." I smirk.

"So for the next half hour, the girls say their goodbyes to their new friends and Alicia Fox walks up with a box for each of the girls.

"Hey, before you go, the Divas and I got you both something. Kind of like a parting gift."

Dee opens her box first and she goes bonkers.

"Oh, SNAP! It's those red stilettos I had my eyes on! Thank you so much!" And I see Dee hugging each Diva there. Then Gwen opens her box.

"Shut up!"

It was a pair of White Converse All-Stars signed by all of the superstars they made friends with. Of course my signature was the biggest.

"This is so wicked! Thanks guys!" She smiled. She hugged everyone there saving my hug for last. And it was time. I dreaded this moment from the second Raw began tonight. The girls and I walk to my bus with Randy close behind. He'd gotten Thunder from his bus since Sam and Alanna were watching him for the night.

"Alanna's gonna be crying for a dog now." Randy said as he handed Gwen her little dog. "Maybe when she's a little older. Like… eight."

"Thunder's a hard dog to forget." Gwen chuckled. She and Dee hugged Randy before getting on the bus. "Tell Sam and Alanna bye for us."

"Will do!"

"See you at the next stop, man!" I say to my best friend.

Randy just nodded and walked back to his own bus. The girls quickly get settled in and got ready for bed. I did the same thing and I go into Gwen's room. NOT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING! Man, you guys are animals!

"Hey, I just wanted to say you did amazing out there tonight."

"Thanks. I was a bit nervous, though."

"You didn't show it." I say. "Lemme tell ya, everyone was cracking up in the back. You and Dee were awesome."

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance and I loved it. Thanks for doing that for me."

"I'd do anything for you." I say. Then I realize what I said and correct myself. "I mean, I was happy to do it."

"Well it was really sweet." She smiled. "I think I'm gonna get some rest."

"Uh, me too. The driver will let us know when we get to Greenville. Did you give him directions to your place?"

"Yup."

"Okay, then. Um… good night. And Good night, Thunder."

Little Thunder barks at me cutely and curls up in the little bed Sam gave him when he stayed with her and Alanna. Gwen climbed into her bed and gave me a small wave. I go back to my room and get into bed. I am not looking forward to tomorrow morning. Mainly because… I have to say goodbye to the greatest girl I've ever met.

* * *

-The next morning-

It's 6 a.m. and we arrive in Greenville and we're still a ways off from Gwen's place. I go to wake Gwen up and… she's already up; showered and everything. The hell?

"What are you doing up so early?"

"I've been up since 5."

"What!?"

"Long story." She chuckled. "Anyway, how close are we to my place?"

"I'd say about a half hour. What time do you have to be at work?"

"8."

"So what do you say to breakfast?"

"I say, I'm totally in." And here comes Dee. She's dressed, but she's totally in need of some coffee. "Caffeine… NOW!"

"You… don't do mornings? Do you?" I laugh.

"What was your first clue, Sherlock?" Dee said with a slight growl.

"We can stop by an IHOP." I suggest.

"We don't have one." Dee says back. "We do have a Huddle House, though."

"Their food is da bomb!" Gwen smiled.

"Okay, Huddle House it is!" I smiled. I didn't care. As long as I got more time with Gwen. After we have breakfast at Huddle House, and the place is good, we drive on to Gwen's apartment I help the girls with their luggage and Thunder barks sadly.

"I know, little man. I'm gonna miss you, too." I pick up the little guy and he licks my face. "You take care of your mom for me, okay?" Thunder barks and wags his tail.

"We'll never forget this week. Ever!" Dee smiled. "Or you."

Dee and I hugged and once we were finished, I look at Gwen.

"I guess this is goodbye." She said.

"I guess it is." I say sadly. "I can never thank you enough for saving my life."

"Well, I got to meet you. This really was the week of a lifetime for us. For me especially."

"I'm just glad I can make it happen. But, just so you don't forget me…" I get out a sheet of paper. I wrote this down last night before I went to bed. "Here's my phone number, my email and my Twitter account. Which reminds me. Didn't you see my message on Twitter?"

"She doesn't go on Twitter. She doesn't even have an account." Dee interrupts.

"So… you wouldn't have seen it anyway." I said.

"But Dee has one and… she wouldn't have known who you were talking about because you never knew my name and I never told her about it till the meet and greet. Man, fate just intervened at the right time because we're DUMB!" Gwen chuckled.

"I know, right!?" We both laugh. It's getting close to her time to go in to work so I just swallow. "So, do I get one last hug?"

"Of course."

I smile and hold my arms out. Gwen walks in and I just hug her like she'd vanish if I let go. She felt so warm and our bodies fit together so well; I just want to memorize how she feels. I take a moment to smell her perfume. Man, she smells so good.

"Um, John? As much as I love being in your arms, I have work in about 15 minutes." Gwen said in a muffle voice.

"Oh!" I say. I reluctantly let her go and chuckle. "Don't forget to call me. Or text me… or Tweet… just don't be strangers okay?" I laugh.

"We won't." Dee smiled.

I smile and I board my bus. I go to my window and I wave to both girls, but I basically wave to Gwen. I gave them a sad smile as they wave back. I'm gonna miss her like crazy, but this has been the best week of my life.

* * *

-Later that day-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

I'm making my way inside M.K. Banks Studio and instead of going to my first class, I run into my boss and he doesn't look happy. Does he ever? Really?

"Gwen! Where have you been!? Mr. Hardmon grumbled.

"On vacation. Why?"

"You didn't come in yesterday!"

"Yesterday was Labor Day! Nobody was working!" I say in my defense.

"I was trying to call you to come back because, due to our popularity, I had opened the place to take in new students today. You never answered your phone."

I look at my phone and… it was turned off. I don't remember turning it off. When I turned it on, there were the messages. Oops.

"I'm sorry, Mr-"

"Save it. I can't have an employee who can't have the decency to keep her phone on when I need her. You can clean out your locker. You're fired!"

"What!? You can't do this, Mr. Hardmon! I need this job!"

"You should have thought of that before you decided to turn your phone. You can pick up your severance pay tomorrow morning."

With that, he turned and left me in the hallway a broken woman. Now I didn't have a job! Great! I did clean out my locker and I make my way back home. Once there, I call Dee and told her what happened. Five minutes later…

**"WHERE'S THE SON OF A BITCH AT!?"** She shouts. "He had no right to fire you!"

"Well, he did. Now, I don't have a job and pretty soon I won't have a home because I won't be able to pay the bills. You know how hard it was to land that job? I'll never find another one!" I was growing increasingly upset to the point where I'm barely able to talk. I go to my room and slam the door before throwing myself on my bed and crying. I knew I shouldn't have let John talk me into staying an extra day. Damn, those dimples!

* * *

**DEE-LO'S P.O.V.**

Man, my girls in her room crying and because of her asshole boss! OOOH! Man, I'd love to shove my size 7's up his ass! Anyway, she left her purse and I know I'm probably gonna be in trouble for this, but she's my BFF. She needs my help. I grab that piece of paper John gave her and dial his number.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, John. It's Dee."

_"Hey, girl! Didn't expect to hear from you so soon. What's up?"_

I tell him about how Gwen's boss fired her for some bogus stuff about Labor Day and John isn't pleased.

_"He WHAT!?"_ He yelled. _"That's bullshit! That wasn't her fault. If anything, it's mine. I convinced her to stay the extra day."_

"John, don't. You had no idea."

_"Doesn't matter. It was basically my fault she lost her job. I have to make this right."_ He said. I can tell he's feeling guilty.

"But what can you do? She's in her room crying right now. She's afraid of being evicted. She tried working at the doctor's office where I work, but she was VERY unhappy there. I can't ask her to go back to something she hates."

_"I'll think of something. Just keep me posted and I'll let you know if I have an idea."_

"Okay. Whatever you think of, I hope it helps. I hate seeing her so down after such an amazing week."

_"And knowing I'm the cause of it makes it worse."_

"John…"

_"It's true. I got her into this. I'm gonna help her out. It's the least I can do."_

"Well, good luck, John. I'll call you later."

_"Thanks. And thanks for being there for her all these years. You're a great friend."_

"She makes it easy." I smile. "Bye." I hang up with John and I hope he has a trick up his sleeve because I don't want to see Gwen sad anymore. Please… she deserves to be happy.

**END OF CHAPTER 7**

Oh, snap! Her boss is such an asshole! Firing her after she comes off an incredible wee like that? And just what is John gonna do to help her? If you wanna find out, leave me some love and pass it on! Faster reviews equal faster updates. Oh, and the dancing lessons will come soon so please be patient. I know John needs them, but they'll come. So, until next time… PEACE!


	8. When One Door Closes

Hey, guys! Here I am back with another update and sorry for taking so long with this one. I've been sick lately and I just found out that I have an ovarian cyst and I have a follow-up appointment next month. Anyway, enough about me. Time for the SHOUTOUT portion of my fic!

I think I forgot to mention this person, if so, I'm so sorry! **XANDMAN216**, thank you SO much for your review! I hope more are coming! *hint hint* **LEGITELIZABETHWWEFAN** and **XNIKAMANIACV2** are new reviewers and thanks for stopping by to leave me some love! Speaking of… **KEEPER OF OZ** and **CENATIONGIRL22**… where are you!? I hope you haven't left me. Well, I hope you do come back and bring some friends because more story is about to go down!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything WWE related. I just own Gwen, Dee and ALL UNFAMILIAR people and places… and pets! LOL! ON WITH THE FIC!

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

We finished taping SmackDown and I'm sitting at bar at the hotel we're staying in. I have a cold Bud in one hand and my cell phone in the other. I guess I'm trying to drown my sorrows because I'm so filled with guilt after receiving that phone call from Dee earlier.

[Flashback]

_**"He WHAT!?" He yelled. "That's bullshit! That wasn't her fault. If anything, it's mine. I convinced her to stay the extra day."**_

_**"John, don't. You had no idea."**_

_**"Doesn't matter. It was basically my fault she lost her job. I have to make this right." He said. I can tell he's feeling guilty.**_

_**"But what can you do? She's in her room crying right now. She's afraid of being evicted. She tried working at the doctor's office where I work, but she was VERY unhappy there. I can't ask her to go back to something she hates."**_

_**"I'll think of something. Just keep me posted and I'll let you know if I have an idea."**_

_**"Okay. Whatever you think of, I hope it helps. I hate seeing her so down after such an amazing week."**_

_**"And knowing I'm the cause of it makes it worse."**_

_**"John…"**_

_**"It's true. I got her into this. I'm gonna help her out. It's the least I can do."**_

_**"Well, good luck, John. I'll call you later."**_

[End Flashback]

Man, if I'd have known that would happen, I would have never pressured her into staying that extra day. I wanted to give her the best night of her life and I end up costing Gwen her job. I take another swig as Randy took the stool right next to mine. I didn't even need to look at him to know he had concern etched on his face. That's how close we are.

"Okay, John. What's up?" He asked me. "It's a good thing you weren't wrestling tonight because you didn't seem to be focused on too much of anything."

I watch him ask the bartender for the same beer and I let out a heavy sigh. This sucks! Ever since I met Gwen, all I wanted to do was keep that smile on her face. Knowing that something I did made her cry… I can't take it. I don't even know how I can make this better so maybe telling Randy will help.

"Remember when I dropped Gwen and Dee off at their home earlier today?"

"How can I forget? Nobody was more upset about them going back than you. Why?" Randy said as he got his Bud. "Wait. Did something happen to them? Is Gwen alright? She's not hurt, is she?"

"Who's hurt?" At that time, Punk walked up to us with Kofi, Layla and AJ.

"Gwen. John said Dee called him a little bit after he dropped the girls off." Randy relayed.

"Is she alright?" Kofi asked.

"She's fine. At least physically." I say finally. But I still had that look of guilt on my face.

"But something did happen to her. What?" AJ wondered aloud.

I let out another sigh and I looked to Randy since he knew about what I was going to say next.

"Randy, remember when we first met Gwen at the club and she told us about her boss?"

"At the studio where she works? Yeah I remember."

"Well… Dee called me and told me that the son of a bitch fired her! All because of some shit about not having her phone on or not being there on Monday."

**"WHAT!?"** Okay, that sounded like more than five voices. Sure enough, Rey, Kaitlyn and Alicia had joined our little party. Yeah, some party. I'm telling them about how I got an awesome girl fired from a job she loved. Yay.

"That's not fair! It was Labor Day!" Kaitlyn said expressing her outrage. "Nobody was working! Well, we were but that's different."

"Apparently that didn't matter to him." John said angrily. By now, they were all sharing in my outrage.

"Okay, I thought she was just kidding about her boss being a total asshole but it looks like her description was dead on." Randy sighed.

"That sucks! How's she taking it?" Rey asked with concern.

"She's not. Dee told me that Gwen was crying in her room after she got canned." It took all I had to not throw my bottle at the wall. I hated the fact that someone made her cry and hated even more that I was a part of it. "This is all my fault! If I hadn't asked to extend her vacation to come to Raw last night…"

"John! It's not your fault. You had no idea this would happen." AJ said to me.

"Thanks, but it still doesn't make me feel any better." I sighed. "It still doesn't change the fact that I got her fired from a job she loved."

"So what are we gonna do?" Kofi asked.

"Guys, I appreciate it, but this is my problem."

"Nah, man! She's grown on us, too. If you got her back, so do we." The Eddy Gordo lookalike smiled.

"He's right. Now, how are we going to fix this?" Layla repeated. "Well, you know her better than we do."

"Not really… since certain people kept bogarding her attention." I smirked. "Just kidding. But I think you might be on to something. I don't know her that well…" Yet. "But I know someone who does. Let's meet back at my hotel room in an hour. I have a call to make."

As the others go back to doing their thing, I take my cell phone and call Dee back. I couldn't get Gwen out of my mind and I was really worried about her. I waited for an answer when I heard:

_"House of Beauty; this is Cutie."_

"Um, hi. Is Dee there?" I ask wondering if I dialed the wrong number.

_"Speaking."_

"Do you always answer your phone like that?"

_"Not always. I have other greetings but that one's my favorite." We both let out a light chuckle. "What's up?"_

"I was just calling to see how Gwen was doing."

_"She's still really upset. She went out job hunting after I got off the phone with you but no such luck. The economy sucks and here in Mississippi is one of the hardest hit. She even tried to get on unemployment but she's meeting with a lot of red tape. It's just one catch after another."_ I hear Dee sigh and I could tell she was worried about her best friend. _"If I wasn't worried about getting the death penalty, I'd take my semi-automatic to that studio and bust a cap in his ass!"_

"Dee, I feel ya, girl. I really do, but you gotta calm down!"

_"I can't! He had no right to do that to her! Snaggletooth lookin' Joe Clark actin' jackass! Do me a solid. Ask Randy if he can swing by and give him and RKO for me! He deserves a few… hundred!"_

As tempted as I was to take her up on her offer, I had to calm her down. Last thing Gwen needed was her best friend hauled off to jail for murder.

"Dee… please. Just think a moment. How is your going to jail going to help Gwen? Hmm?" I asked and after a few moments of silence. "Dee? You got quiet. I don't like it when you're quiet!"

_"Sorry. Just had to take a chill pill."_ She sighed. _"You're right, though. As bad as I want to hurt the bastard, I can't. It's just she doesn't deserve this. I want her happy."_

"So do I." _More than you probably realize._ "Hey, I'm gonna call you back later tonight. Keep your line on, okay?"

_"Okay. I'm not going to bed right now anyway. Talk to you later."_

"Later." I hang up and I look at Randy. "She wants you to RKO Gwen's boss."

"When and where?" Randy asked. "I don't mind doing that."

"Yeah, and have you suspended… again."

"It'd be worth it." He smirked. "But anyway, you ready to get outta here?"

"Yeah. Gimme a second." I pay for my beer and walk out with Randy. Thankfully, Evan was our group's DD and Punk was his group's driver for the night. We drove back to the hotel and get together in my hotel room. As soon as we were settled, I call Dee back.

_"Hey, John."_

"No greeting this time?"

_"I remember your number."_ She chuckled.

"Hang on. I'm gonna put you on speaker phone." I do so and soon everyone greeted Dee.

_"Wow. What's going on?"_

"I kinda called a few friends over for a powwow. I told them about Gwen getting fired and they're just as pissed about it as you are. Well, maybe not **as** pissed, but close."

_"I doubt anyone's as pissed as I am. But, hey guys."_

"So, Dee. The reason I called is I was kinda hoping you'd shed a little more light about Gwen." I'm hoping she can help.

_"About what exactly?"_

"Well, I know she loved working at the studio and hated her boss. I guess what I'm asking is did she ever talk to you about wanting to… I dunno… did she ever have thoughts about leaving Greenville?"

_"Almost all the time."_

"So if she got the chance to leave, she'd take it?"

_"In a hot second. She loves home but, really. This is a podunk little town where nothing big ever happens. All the cool stuff goes on in the bigger cities where we have to travel and, besides the occasional trip with me to visit my Aunt Sophie, she's never really been out of Mississippi. A lot of her paycheck goes toward bills, food and, of course, little Thunder. Why do you ask?"_

"Because I… I mean we want to help her."

"Well, everyone knows about her now. Maybe we could let everyone know about her situation through Tout?" Rey suggested.

_"I don't think that would be a good idea."_ Dee nixed. _"She's really proud. You know, the whole 'Independent Woman' and all. If she found out, she'd be so embarrassed and lose all respect for herself."_

"She has a point. I doubt Gwen wants to be seen as a charity case." Punk voiced.

Good point. I don't want to put Gwen on blast like that. But there has to be something we can do. That's when Randy comes up with something.

"Does she still want to teach dancing?" Randy asked.

_"Of course. It's one of her passions."_

"Well, I think I might have an idea. What if someone hired her to be their private dance teacher?"

_"You mean like actual dancing or 'Tina Turner' dancing?"_

"**ACTUAL** dancing!" They all laughed.

_"Okay, just trying to get the details straight!"_ She laughed. _"Well, I think she could go for that. She's been teaching for years and everyone here in town says there isn't a person on Earth she can't teach to dance."_

All of a sudden, the room got silent and the next thing I notice… everyone's looking right at me with a variety of smirks and smiles on their faces.

"Shut up!" I say to them and they just laughed at me.

"Uh… there's a first time for everything." Alicia giggled. "I'm sorry, John. I love you, but a fish out of water has more rhythm than you."

Again, there was silence. This time, on Dee's end.

"Dee? You're quiet again. You're scaring me." I say to her.

_"In the immortal words of Ron Simmons… DAMN! I mean, DAAAAAAAAAAMN!"_ And everyone laughed again. I… was looking for a hole to crawl into.

"Okay, can we get off my lack of coordination and get back to Gwen's problem? Please?" I laugh.

"Fine. But the fish thing was funny." AJ laughed.

"But that could be a good idea, though. John can hire her as his personal hip hop teacher." Kofi nodded.

_"But what about the time where she's not teaching him? What would she be doing the rest of the time?"_

That was when we all had looks of confusion. We never thought about that.

"Uhmmm… we didn't think that far." I admitted. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I think I'm gonna think on that a couple more days. Does she have any savings?"

_"I'm not really sure. She doesn't like to talk about her finances, but I'll try to get her to open up."_

"If she does, let me know. It'll give me a timetable." I told her.

_"Okay. And thanks, guys."_

"Hey, no problem. As far as we're concerned, she's one of us. And you, too." Layla said with a smile.

"Oh, and don't let her know anything just yet. I kinda want it to be a surprise. Plus I want to be the one to tell her." I asked.

_"Okay. We'll do this your way. Oh, I do have a question."_

"Shoot."

_"Should she pack her Doc Martens because she has about six pairs."_ And the room explodes with laughter.

"HA HA!" Okay, even I had to laugh a bit at that. "Just lemme know how Gwen's doing."

_"Aight, John-Boy. Night, guys!"_

"Night, Dee!" Everyone shouted. And she hung up. I so wanted to tell her to tell Gwen good night, but that would give away some of what we were planning. I let out a sigh and the guys patted me on the shoulder.

"You're a good man, John." Rey nodded.

"Hey, she saved my life plus it's my fault she's in this mess. It's the least I could do."

"You sure there's not any ulterior motive?" Kofi smirked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Okay, maaaaaaaaaybe I do, but I'm not telling them that.

"Uh huh." Everyone said with a chuckle.

"Just make sure 'dance' moves are all you're you two are doing, John." Punk smirked.

"Hey, she's not like that, alright!?" I said seriously. If it were anyone else, I'd be chuckling along, but knowing what I know about Gwen… it just doesn't sit right with me. I like joking around as much as the next guy, but don't talk about Gwen like that. Not even as a joke. I guess everyone knew I was serious because they just held up their hands.

"Okay, we're sorry. We didn't mean to go there." Punk apologized. "We really do like her."

"I know. It's just… she's really sweet. I just don't want people talking bad about her."

"It's cool. So, we'll see you in the morning?" Rey asked.

"Yeah. Night, guys."

We all bade each other good night and that left me and Randy since we were roomies.

"You really got it bad for her, don't you?" Randy asked.

"I can't say for sure. I will say that there's definitely something there. Maybe it could turn into something more."

"Well, I hope it does. I've never seen you this worked up over anyone. Not even Liz."

He's right. I did love Liz, but during our marriage, I always felt like something was missing. There was no real… spark, I guess. With Gwen… there were sparks the second I saw her hair and moon mark on her shoulder. I never saw the girl's face and I was hooked so I know there's something there.

"Who knows? Maybe I'm getting a second chance in more ways than one." I say with a smile.

"Here's hoping. So, you want the shower first or should I go?"

"You take it, man. I still have some thinking to do."

"Okay."

While Randy takes the shower first, I take out my cell phone and scroll through my photos of the week I spent with Gwen and Dee. With each flip, my eyes go to the girl with the glasses and I wonder what she looks like without them. I look at her on the whole and I can't believe nobody's snapped her up yet. I then look at her full lips. From what Dee told me about her, she wasn't a fan of anything girly so she doesn't wear makeup. You wouldn't know it because her full lips are just the perfect shade of bubble gum pink. I still can't believe she's never been kissed yet but I'm not complaining. Maybe I'll be the first to taste them. I kiss my fingertip and placed it onto her picture's lips and turn my phone off.

"Just maybe…" I say to myself as I wait for Randy to finish his shower. I'm not even asleep yet and I already know what I'll be dreaming about. Or rather… who.

* * *

-A Week Later-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Ugh! I hate job hunting! Mainly because I come home empty handed. I've been looking in papers and online at every want ad in the city and nothing. I even looked for jobs that have nothing to do with teaching dance and I came up a blank. Someone suggested… other dancing to pay the bills. Uh, HELL no! I don't even want to show my half naked body to ME so I sure wasn't gonna show it to anyone else. I'm not putting down anyone else who does because they have to have guts to do that to put food on the table. I just can't see myself doing that, though. I've got a good month left of my savings before I'd be in real trouble so I have some time… not much, unfortunately. On the upside, I can always come home to little Thunder and some WWE action. The RAW last night was rough mostly because of Jerry's heart attack on the air. I'm glad he's doing better and, let's just say my views on Michael Cole have changed. He can be decent, after all. I sent Touts and Tweets to #GetWellJerry and even those got lots of feedback. I guess I'm still getting used to my fame. Even people here at home treat me a little differently thanks to my appearance on Raw last week. My boss… yeah, he's still the same. I did hear through the grapevine that enrollment was down since word got around about my being fired. Serves him right. I wanted to talk to John but I didn't want to burden him with this. Maybe I should call him, you know, just to hear his voice. I was about to go out for another day of job hunting when my phone rang. I look at the number on the screen and I don't recognize it at first, but I have a feeling I've seen it before… somewhere.

"Hello?"

_"Hey, baby girl."_ I smile because only one person calls me "baby girl".

"Hey, John."

_"Haven't heard from you since last week. How is everything?"_

"Eh, so so." I tell him. "It's basically the same old same here, although I am enjoying my new found popularity."

_"Well, you deserve it."_ I hear John say and I can tell he's smiling. _"Hey, I was thinking about something and I want to run it by you."_

"What is it?" I had no idea what John was thinking about but it can't hurt to hear him out, right?

_"Well… how would you feel about coming on the road with me?"_

Okay, I nearly drop my phone and I plop myself down on the couch. Where the hell did that come from? I mean, going on the road with someone as fine as him is a dream for any woman who's a John Cena fan. But this is so out of the blue. I'm brought out of my trance when I hear John.

_"Gwen? Okay, I already had Dee go silent on me. Don't you start, too."_

Huh? Dee? Now how did Dee end up part of the conversation?

"Dee? What's Dee got to do with it?"

_"Uhmmm, what I mean is… forget I said that."_

Alright, now I KNOW something's up. And I want answers… now!

"Too late. Okay, John, I know we haven't known each other long and you gotta know this about me. I don't appreciate secrets. I know you know something, so spill!"

I hear him sigh on the other end and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together.

_"Okay, but I want you to promise you won't get mad at Dee or me. We just want to help you."_ John said.

"I'll let you know after I hear your story. Start talking." This better be good.

_"Okay. After I dropped you two off, Dee called me and told me about your boss firing you for some bullshit."_

See? Dee-Lo isn't called "Motormouth" for nothing.

"Well, that explains how you got my number because I don't' remember giving it to you." I say to him. "So she went in my purse and…"

_"I guess so, but please don't be mad at her."_ John begged. _"Anyway, we were thinking about how we can help you and the idea is… I hire you as my dance teacher."_

Once again, I just sit there. Okay, Dee goes in my purse while I'm breaking down crying in my room and gets John's number. On top of that, she told him about my getting fired and talked to John and who knows who else about it and how to fix my problem. I guess I'm more upset that they did all this behind my back.

"John-"

_"Gwen, I know what you're going to say, but just hear me out. Please?"_

I can't see him, but I know he's doing that sad puppy face.

"You know I can't see you do the face, right?" I chuckle. Okay, the thought of him doing the face is just too cute. I can't stay too mad at him. Damnit.

_"Worth a shot. You need a smart phone so we can Skype. Dimples like mine deserve air time."_ He chuckled.

"That is true." I smirk. Damn, those dimples. "Okay, I'll let you plead your case."

_"When Dee told me about you getting fired, I felt like a total asshole."_

"Why?"

_"Because it was my fault. I convinced you to stay that extra day. If I hadn't, you'd still have a job right now."_

"John, don't blame yourself. I didn't have to say yes so it was more my fault than anything."

_"No. I'm not letting you take any of the blame. I just feel responsible for all this. I want to make it right."_

"Wow. Um…" _I didn't know what to think._ "Can I at least think about it? This is a lot for me to take in, ya know?"

_"Of course. Take all the time you need. I know this is a bit of a bombshell I dropped on you."_

"Tell me about it." I say to him. "I'll call you later, okay?"

_"Okay. Tell Dee and Thunder I said hi."_

"I will. Bye."

_"Bye."_

I hang up the phone with him and dial another number. I wait for her to give me one of her greetings.

_"House of Beauty, this is Cutie."_

"You mean Motormouth." I say. "You wouldn't believe who called me."

_"Um… Jet Li?"_

"No, a certain Dr. of Thuganomics." I say to her. "Care to explain how he got my number?"

_"Gwen, I can explain-"_

"Don't." I pause for a moment, but then I speak again. "I have to admit, I was mad that you went behind my back and told him. But… I know why you did it so I'm not mad."

_"Girl, don't **DO THAT TO ME!"**_ Dee shouted. _"You had me thinking you were gonna say you didn't want to talk to me anymore! I'm a sensitive bitch! I can't take shit like that, girl!"_

I just had to laugh. Only Dee would take emotions and make them… so emotional.

"I'm sorry, but I had to make you sweat!" I laugh. "Really, where would I be without you?"

_"Let's not ask. We were dangerously close to an answer one time. I never want to get that close again."_ Dee said seriously. She has a point. That was a period of my life I hope I never repeat as long as I live. _"So… are you gonna take him up on his offer?"_

"I dunno. I mean I saw a little taste of his… dancing. Yikes. The boy's got two left feet and they're all thumbs."

_"I know, right? Alicia said-"_

"Alicia? Dee who else did you tell?"

_"Um… John had me on speakerphone and, Randy, Alicia, Punk, AJ-"_

"So basically all the friends we made in Memphis?"

_"Um, yeah? Please don't be mad."_

"I'm not. Not THAT mad anyway. Upset, but not mad." I say finally. "It's still not as bad as you posting my club fight on YouTube."

_"Girl, you're at 5 million hits. Quit complaining!"_ Dee laughed.

"5 MILLION!?"

_"Yeah, black women going apeshit is a popular video topic!"_

Great. I'm viral.

_"But, back to John. You should do it. You'd still be doing the job you love teaching the man you love."_ She giggled. _"I know there's something there. Just go for it!"_

Maybe there is something. I mean, nobody's ever put himself out there for me before.

"Yeah, but what about you?"

_"What about me? If you say you can't do this without me, yes you can. Girl, I'll be fine. This is a once-in-a-lifetime shot for you in more ways than one. You can do this. And you know I'm just a phone call away. If any of those bitches gives you any trouble, just hit me up and I'll come runnin'! We could be half a world apart, we're still girls. No matter what."_

Now that's what a best friend is all about! Dee is one of a kind!

"Have I ever told you that you're the sister I never had?"

_"No, but it's nice to hear."_ She chuckled. _"Now, call John and his fine ass back and tell him you accept! If you don't I'll never speak to you again! Oh, and if you can, get me a signed Randy Orton poster for me. And DeVon wants one of Cameron and Naomi."_

"I think I can swing that. Bye, girl!"

_"Bye."_

I hang up with my best friend… hell, she's more like my sister. I look down at Thunder and pick him up. He looks at me with his brown eyes and wags his little tail in question.

"Hey, little guy. Mama's got a chance to travel with the WWE. Wanna go with?"

Little Thunder barked happily. I guess he knew he'd be hanging out with the Divas again.

"I had a feeling you'd say yes. I'll call John and let him know.

* * *

-Later that Evening-

I just got finished eating some catfish and feeding Thunder when I decided to give John a call back. I think I made him wait enough. I hear one ring… then another…

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, John-boy. What's going on witcha?"

_"We just got done taping SmackDown and we have a day off tomorrow. Everyone's getting ready for Night of Champions Sunday."_

"Are you ready?"

_"You know it! I'm planning on winning back my championship."_ I hear him say. I hope he does, too. I know Punk's a nice guy and he's a great heel… I dunno. I was always a Cena fan.

"Well, here's hoping you do." I say to him with a smile.

_"So… have you thought about my offer?"_ John asked me.

"I have. And…" I paused. "I accept."

_"YES!"_

I hold the phone away from my ear since I heard more than one voice.

"Um… who else is with you, John?"

_"Randy, Punk, AJ, basically everyone you made friends with."_ John admitted.

"Nothing is a secret there, is it?"

_"Nope!"_ They all laughed.

_"It's gonna be great to see you again, girl!"_ Alicia said.

_"Are you bringing Thunder?"_ AJ asked.

"I'll let you guys ask him." I smile and bring my little baby up to the phone. "Okay, he's here."

_"Hey, little guy! You wanna come with us? We have a new chew toy for you!"_ The girls giggled. Thunder just barked happily.

"Yeah, I think he's excited." I laugh.

_"He's not the only one."_ Randy said and I can sense the smirk in his voice. Then I hear what sounded like fighting… and then laughing.

"So how are we gonna do this? Is someone picking me up or do I come to you?"

_"I can come pick you up so I suggest you start packing. I'll be there tomorrow."_

"Alright. Tomorrow it is. And I can't thank you enough, guys."

_"Thank John and his horrible dance moves."_ Kofi laughed.

_"Not funny, Eddy Gordo!"_ John laughed.

_"Hey, only Gwen can call me that!"_ He chuckled.

"Tell 'em, Kofi!" I chuckled. "Okay, I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Night, guys!"

_"Night, Gwen. Night, Little Man!"_ Thunder barked cutely and I hang up the phone. "Well, Thunder, looks like we're going on a new adventure. I need to pack all my music, my laptop… man, I'm gonna be up all night!"

Wow! I never thought something like this would happen to me. I feel bad for leaving Dee but she thinks I can stand on my own. I guess I'll find out. Come tomorrow, it's goodbye Greenville, hello… who knows?

* * *

-Back with the Superstars-

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

After I got off the phone with Gwen, I had the biggest grin on my face and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Someone's happy." Kelly Kelly smirked.

"I can't help it." I admit. Okay, it means I get to spend a lot more time with her and that's always good. Maybe I can finally beat her on Mortal Kombat. "I just wish there was something else she can do besides just be my dance teacher. I mean, other than that, she'd just be getting paid to hang out with me and I don't want her to think that.

"Yeah… that is a problem." Randy nodded.

I was still trying to think of what she could do when the big boss came up to us.

"John! Just the person I was looking for." Vince said to me.

"We were just leaving." The others said quickly.

"No. I want everyone's input on this." He said as he popped his collar. "I'm sure you all remember last week's Raw and those young ladies at the announce table."

"Gwen and Dee? Yeah. They were great." Rey agreed.

"Well, apparently, the WWE Universe agrees. I've been on Twitter and the message boards are blowing up about Gwen and Dee. They loved them. And since Jerry will be out indefinitely due to his heart attack... I was thinking about hiring Gwen as a temporary commentator. If she keeps gaining positive feedback, she might join the announce team permanently."

"The first female WWE commentator? That's awesome!" Alicia nodded.

It's times like these that I totally respect Vinnie Mac. This would be perfect! I wonder if Gwen would go for it. Two jobs? Wow!

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 8**

This is insane! Not only does John offer Gwen a job, Vince is thinking about hiring her, too!? Will she take one or both? She already has friends and making more than a few enemies. This girl's world is about to get turned upside down so read and review.** ESPECIALLY** review! Pass it on to your peeps! Sorry this chapter is so short. I'll try to make the next one longer! Till next time, **PEACE**!


	9. Trying Not To Step On Toes

YO YO YO! I'm back, peeps and with another update! I know y'all have been waiting for this one and I hope it's worth the wait. Now special thanks to all my loyal reviewers and still missing two in particular. You know who you are. ;) and I wanna send out a special Cenation SHOUT OUT TO **FUTUREWWEDIVA2011**! Thanks, girl and I hope you keep enjoying my fic! Okay, now onto the disclaimer.

**Disclaimer:** I own NOTHING related to the WWE. All I own are any UNFAMILIAR people and places. Now, ON WITH THE FIC!

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, I've gotten everything packed up. Well, I have my clothes and other necessities packed up. I have Thunder on his leash and we're both waiting by the door. I got a text from John saying that he was in Greenville and on his way to my place. I can't lie. It's gonna be god to see John again and I did wish we spent more time together. He's just so sweet and genuine, the complete polar opposite to all the guys who usually want to talk to me. I see Thunder pacing around and he starts barking.

"Keep your collar on, boy! He's coming." I laugh. And I thought I was the impatient one? Anyway, I was about to try and calm Thunder down when I hear my phone ringing. "Hello?"

_"Hey, baby girl."_ I hear John's voice again and I smile.

"Hey, John." I say back. "I'm so excited!" Then Thunder barks.

_"Sounds like little guy's excited, too."_ John chuckles. _"I'm glad you accepted my offer because, as you heard from my so-called friends, my dance skills aren't the best."_ I pause for a bit and then he says: _"Okay, they stink."_ I laugh.

"I'm sure you're not THAT bad." I reassure. "Anyway, when do you want me to start teaching you?"

"Well, we have the next couple of days free so how about when we get to the next city?"

"Sounds good." I nod. "Oh, by the way, how far are you from us right now?" I then hear a knock at the door. "Hang on, someone's at my door." I open the door with my free hand which is tough because I had to switch Thunder's leash to my phone hand. I grab the knob to open the door and I jump back. It was that day at Aunt Sophie's all over again. "John!?"

"Hi." And he's waving at me with his phone in one hand and that same grin… and dimples. I swear, they need to be registered as lethal weapons! "I thought I'd surprise you… again."

"Well, you succeeded." I laugh as I hang up my own phone.

"Well, do I get a hug? I mean I DID drive all that way to come get you." He smirked.

"Get over here, you!" I laugh and we were now locked in a tight hug. Man, he's so strong. I could do this all the time. As we hug, Thunder yips up at the two of us.

"Oh, I didn't forget you, little man!" John laughed. He picked up my little dog and Thunder licked his face cutely. Cute! "You miss me?" Thunder barked.

"Well, this is all our stuff." I say. John looked at my bags and looked kind of confused. I guess it's because I only had two big suitcases and a duffel bag and my purse slung over my shoulder.

"Is this it?" He asked.

"Yeah, this is it." I say. "This is everything I have to my name." Oh, that's right. He's never been inside MY place before and I guess seeing what it looks like is a shock to him. It's a small place and it's nothing you'd find on MTV Cribs. It's not much, but it's home. "Hey, can we get out of here?"

"Sure. I'll give you a hand with this."

"Thanks." I readjust my bag and grab Thunder's leash. I walk out to John's bus where he takes my bags on with him. I follow and I say hello to the driver who smiles at me and my dog. I make my way to the room I stayed in the last time I was here. "So will I be travelling with you like this all the time?"

"Not always. There are gonna be times when we fly out to new venues." John explained.

"F-f-f-ff-FLY!?" I squeak. The color drained from my face. I HATE heights! John sees me turn sheet white and grows concerned.

"Gwen? You look sick. What's wrong?" He asked worriedly.

"I… I've never flown in my life! And I hate heights!" I whisper. Oh, man! WHY did I not figure flying into this equation!? I sit down on the bed and John sits next to me. "I'm not kidding! You may have to trank me beforehand so I'm knocked out for the whole flight!"

"Gwen. Just relax. Everything's gonna be fine." John said in a soothing voice. "I've flown so much, I should be a pilot by now." He laughed. "Besides, you're gonna be sitting with me. I'll protect you."

He flashed that grin at me and I quickly forgot about my fear of heights. Let's just hope it works when we actually hit the airports.

"You really are the superhero of WWE, aren't you?" I ask.

"Nah… that honor goes to you." He smirked.

"Mr. Cena. Is everything ready?" The driver asked over the intercom.

"Yeah, she's got everything on board. Let's roll!" He tells him. I then feel the bus lurch as it begins to move. I look out of the window and I see all of the houses I grew up around pass by as I leave the place that's been my home all of my life. In a way, I'm sad to be leaving, mainly because I'd be leaving Dee behind… speaking of Dee, I grab my phone and call up my bestie.

_"Home of the Whopper. What's your beef?"_ Came the greeting and John just bust out laughing.

"She is a MESS!" He laughs.

"Ain't she?" I laugh. "Hey, girl! Guess where I'm calling from!"

_"Girl, I'm in between holding two calls, just tell me."_ She said.

"Well, John just picked me up and I'm on my way OUT of Greenville! Want me to stop by to say see ya later before I do?"

_"You **BETTER**!"_ She said. _"I'm gonna miss you like crazy, but this opportunity is too big to pass up!"_

"Okay. John, can we…"

"Of course. Who knows when you'll get to see her again." John smiled.

"Thanks, John!" I hug him around the neck and go to the driver. "Hey, girl. I'm gonna hand the phone to the driver. Lemme put you on speaker phone so you can give him directions."

I do just that and the driver gets the directions to the doctor's office Dee works at. Soon, we arrive and Dee's standing outside waiting for me.

"Dee-Lo!"

"Gwen!"

We run to each other and hug each other so tight, I think we're gonna merge into one person. I know, the world can't handle that!

"I'm gonna miss you so much!" I say.

"Ditto. But you're gonna be fine! I know it." Dee said. "You have just as much confidence as I do. And I know you can handle yourself. And anyway, you have your very own white knight." She said as she looked over at John.

"You got that right. I'll keep an eye on her." He smiled. Thunder runs off the bus next and jumps into Dee's arms.

"Okay, I'm gonna miss you, too, little guy!" Dee cooed and Thunder whimpered. "You protect your mama, promise?" Thunder barks proudly. "Good boy. Well, I know you have to go so I won't keep you. You have my numbers, email, Skype, all that, right?"

"Yes, mom!" We laugh. "I'll call you when we get there."

"You better. Take care of her." She said to John.

"I promise." John smiled as he hugged Dee tightly and waved bye as he and I, along with Thunder, got back on his bus. NOW we were on our way out of Greenville. As the bus rolled down the highway to the next destination, I looked out the window as houses whizzed by. I'm back in my room getting settled in when John came in and smiled at me.

"So where are we going?" I ask him.

"Well, we have a couple of shows in Massachusetts before we go to Boston for Night of Champions." John smiled. I knew he was from the Boston area and I had a feeling he was excited not only at the chance of winning in his hometown, but just going home in general. "Of course you'll get to watch backstage; Thunder, too. I gotta tell ya, the Divas were really happy that they get to play with him again."

"I'm not surprised one bit." I chuckle. "Oh, by the way. When do I start teaching you how to dance?"

I noticed John cringing at my question. He's still self-conscious about his dancing but I want to put him at ease.

"Um… how about when we get to our next location?"

"Good. Since you hired me, I want to get to work as soon as possible." I say.

"I'm not gonna be wearing unitards or those weird tights, am I?"

"No. You can wear what you usually wear. Or plain workout gear." I tell him with a chuckle. I saw pictures of him in his early wrestling career and… yeah, that look did NOT work for him! And he looked HORRIBLE as a blonde. As we talked, I let out a yawn. I dunno why I'm so tired. "Sorry."

"It's cool. It's gonna be a while before we get there. You wanna take a quick nap?" He asked me.

"Good idea." I said. I put out Thunder's leash next to my bed. "In case he needs to…"

"I get it. I'll make sure he makes his pit stops." John laughed.

"Thanks." I get settled in the bed and I'm still surprised at how comfortable it is. John left the door open a crack so Thunder could walk in and out as he pleased and I quickly dozed off. As much as I wanted to see America fly by my window, my body had other ideas. It wanted sleep and didn't care if I protested.

* * *

-Massachusetts-

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

As the bus rolled on, I'd pop into Gwen's room to see if she wanted to talk, but she was still asleep. She looked so peaceful, I didn't have the heart to wake her up. When we got our real destination, I went to her room and gently shook her. I'm not sure how she's gonna take this bit of news, but no time like the present, right?

"Gwen? We're here." I said softly. I heard her grumble in her sleep.

"Five more minutes, mom." I had to chuckle at that because I can't count the number of times I said that to my own mom.

"Sorry." I smile. I watch as Gwen slowly opened those big brown eyes and then squinted them due to the light. She looks pretty without her glasses. Speak of the devil, I watch her reach for them and put them on.

"How long was I asleep?" She asked with a yawn.

"About an hour."

"And we're in Boston already?! Damn, whatcha got in this thing? Rocket fuel?"

I just bust out laughing. She's a nut!

"No, we're at… the airport." Then I see her freeze.

"Why are we **here**?"

"Well… because it would take 22 hours to drive from Greenville to Massachusetts. It's faster to fly." I saw the color drain from her face.

"I can handle 22 hours!" She squeaked. "Why didn't you tell me this when we were still in Greenville?"

"Because if I did, you would have chickened out." I said truthfully. I don't think I've ever seen Gwen this scared before. "Hey, calm down. Remember what I said? You're gonna be with me. I'll protect you."

"You say that now but how about when the plane goes into a nosedive and we crash into a field somewhere!?" She asked in a panic. "I didn't pack a parachute!"

I couldn't stop laughing, but I knew she was being serious so I TRIED to stop.

"It won't crash. I promise." I told her. "Just trust me, please?" I flashed her my grin and hoped my dimples would do their job and calm her down. Sure enough, she seemed to settle back into her normal demeanor. Thank you, dimples.

"Okay, I'll trust you. Just don't ever do that to me again."

"I promise. Oh, one more thing." I hand her a pack of gum. "You'll know why when the time comes." I see Gwen shrug her shoulders and look down at Thunder.

"It's a good thing I packed his pet carrier." Gwen said as she picked up her dog. "Looks like this is both our first time flying, boy. I think you're gonna hold up better than me, though." She chuckled.

"He'll be fine. Now, we need to get our things. I have our tickets."

"You had this planned all along, didn't you?" She smirked.

"Would you feel better if I said 'no'?"

"No." She laughed.

"Come on. I'll take our bags and you get Thunder ready."

"Okay."

As she put the little dog in his carrier, I get all of our bags and head off of the bus. I stand at the door and waited on her to come out.

"So, what about the bus?" She asked me.

"It'll meet us at the next location. Don't worry." It's gonna be fun teaching her the finer points of travelling. I dunno what's gonna happen during my first dance lesson. I just hope I don't break the poor girl's toes." I see Gwen looking out the windows at the planes as I get us and our bags checked. "Hey, Gwen? They need Thunder."

"Oh, right." Thunder started whimpering. "It's gonna be alright, little guy. This is my first time, too. Tell you what. When we land, I'll get you some steak, okay?"

The little dog barked happily. I had a feeling if food was offered, he'd calm down. Typical guy.

"We'll take good care of him, ma'am." The flight attendant promised.

"Alright." She handed the carrier with Thunder inside to the lady and she grabbed the bag she was gonna bring onto the plane.

"Okay sir, your flight is boarding right now at gate 2-A."

"Thanks. Let's go."

"Okay." Gwen nodded.

Gwen and I were on our way to the gate when I heard…

"Hey, bro!" I look behind me and I see Zack coming up behind us. Perfect. If anyone can help get Gwen's mind off of flying, it's this guy. Now, I just have to hope he has seats close to us… Hell, I hope he's on the same plane. "John! Wait up!"

"Zack! Hey, man!" We greet each other and I see Gwen look at him kinda oddly. "Oh, Zack, I want you to meet Gwen. Gwen, this is my broski, Zack Ryder."

"Oh, dude! You're the chick that saved my bro's life! Aw, man! You rock!" Zack quickly scooped her up in a hug and I could hear her laughing.

"Well, nice to meet you, too, Zack." She smiled. "Nice hair."

"Thanks. Nice glasses. If you ever need a pair of shades, I can hook ya up!" He smiled. "Hey, which seats to you guys have?" I showed Zack our tickets and he beamed. "Sweet! I'm in the row behind you two! This is gonna kick ass!"

Gwen just smiled. I don't think she's ever met anyone like him and I hope he has loads of stories to help keep her mind off the flight.

-Later in Massachusetts-

Thanks to Zack and his crazy stories, Gwen didn't freak out at all during the flight. As we get our bag and Gwen waits for Thunder's carrier, I walk over to Zack.

"Hey, man. Thanks for keeping Gwen entertained." I whisper to him. "She'd never been on a plane before and she was so freaked out about flying. I didn't think I could keep her calm by myself."

"No prob, bro. Anything for my broski." Zack grinned.

"I owe you one. Big time."

"Ah, don't' sweat it. I'll… uh… leave you two alone." He winked.

"Thanks." I chuckled. He left to get to his rental and I walked over to Gwen who had Thunder's carrier. Judging by his barking, I'd say he was happy the flight was over.

"I know, honey. It'll get easier." She cooed.

"How's little man holding up?"

"He wants out in the worst way." She chuckled.

"I can imagine. I have our rental outside and he can finally stretch his legs."

"And a few other appendages. I think he needs a potty break." Gwen cringed.

"Then let's go now!" I laugh. As we got packed up, I drove to a nearby park so Thunder ran run around and do his business. After about a half hour of playing fetch, we headed to the hotel and got settled in. I booked Gwen her own room while I had mine close by. As I checked us in, someone bumped into us kinda hard. I turned around and I saw that it was Eve.

"John. Fancy seeing you here." She said in that fake sweet voice. Really? Even pro wrestling thought that was fake and that's saying a WHOLE LOT!

"Uhh… we're ALL staying in the same hotel, Eve. Where else would I be?" I asked rolling my eyes at her. Ever since that stunt with Zack, I don't trust this chick one bit.

"Still, it's nice to see you." Then she looked at Gwen with a sneer. "What's **she** doing here?"

"Nice to see you, too." Gwen said with a bit of snark. Thunder growled at her from inside his carrier.

"That's none of your business. Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to get to our rooms." I said to her. I turn back to the receptionist and Eve pulls Gwen away from me.

"Just so you know, you have no business being here. You saved John's life. Thanks for that, but you've outlived your usefulness. I dunno why John insists on keeping you around. Oh, I do. He needs a ring rat to help him get over Liz or… better yet... me. So, why don't you and your little rat go back to your project housing where you belong? But since you're here, I suggest you watch your back. You don't have your little hoodrat friend with you." Eve got right in Gwen's face and I was about to step in when Gwen stopped me. She handed me Thunder's carrier.

"Thanks, but I got this." Gwen nodded. I couldn't help but let out a smirk. This oughtta be good.

"This coming from the president, C.E.O. and treasurer of the Hoeski Club. You are one to talk about sleeping around because that's probably how you keep getting title shots. It's manipulative bitches like you that give good women a bad name and, frankly, I'm sick of it. I'm here because John invited me here. The reason is none of your motherfucking business now **YOU** need to do yourself a favor and keep that nice little nose out of other people's business… before someone like me breaks it off! I've taken down bitches twice your size and don't think I won't do it now! I don't even know why you have a problem with me in the first place! This is my first time even talking to you and I'm threatening you! You tell me to watch my back? Not a problem because I can handle myself just fine. But while I'm here, you need to watch YOUR back, your front, your sides, your ass, your innards because if any part of you is exposed and I'm around… I'm kicking it! And you can take that to the fuckin' bank!" The look in her eyes told Eve that she was dead serious. I truly believe she could take Eve and I think Eve believes it too because she's backing off now.

"Yeah, you better walk away!" Gwen said. "Geez! Who pissed in her Diet Coke?"

"Don't mind her. She's been after me for a while. Even harder now since my divorce."

"I heard about that. I'm really sorry." Gwen said sincerely.

"It's alright. The spark was gone long before we even thought about splitting up." I said. I really wanted to change the subject and move on. "Come on. After we get settled in, we can meet up with the others at the gym and we and finally get dance class started."

"Good. I wanna see how much work I have to do." Gwen smirked as she the bellboy took her bags.

"Yeah… work." I stammered. _"Oh, boy. What have I gotten myself into?"_

* * *

-Later at the gym-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

John told me that they just got the day off today so I have lots of time for my first lesson with him. I'm kind of excited about it because this would be the first time I'd be teaching a celebrity. I'm in my workout gear and as everyone's warming up, Thunder comes out wearing a white headband, a small tank top and wristbands.

"Oh, he's so cute!" Layla cooed. She and a few of the divas ran over and… awww-fest, part deux. "Oh, you're gonna work out with us, little guy?"

"Look at him in his widdle workout clothes!" Alicia smiled.

"We HAVE to take a picture of this!" Kelly Kelly pulled out her smart phone and the others huddled up for the photo.

"Hey, I'll take it." Zack offered.

"Thanks." Kelly Kelly hurried to get in the pic and Zack snapped the adorable photo.

"Got it!"

"Okay, I'm with Chris. I hate that dog." R-Truth and the guys laughed.

I just smiled at the scene. Thunder always could attract the ladies. When you're cute, you can pretty much get away with murder. I found a room where I set up everything for my dance lesson and all I needed was…

"I'm ready, Gwen."

"John. Right on time. We can hold class in here." I said. I opened the door and John and I walked inside. When I turned around to turn on my boom box… I saw I wasn't alone. "Uh… you guys need anything?"

"Nope. We just wanted to watch." C.M. Punk smirked. Behind him were all the friends I made and I just shook my head.

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but this is a private class. Meaning, no outsiders, no cameras, no smartphones, no spy gear, no nothing." I said with a smile, but still sternly. "Out. Everyone out."

Everyone groaned and pouted, but I was firm. I know some people are self-conscious about their dancing and I didn't want John to feel the same way. I'd never be able to teach him if he was. I waited for everyone to leave when…

"That means, you, too, Little Jimmy! You got till ten to leave!"

"She's serious. man! She jumps right to **nine**!" R-Truth ran in and scooped up his imaginary friend before running out and shutting the door behind him. John and I just laughed at the scene.

"You- hahaha- you're playing in to the whole 'Little Jimmy' thing?" He asked me.

"Why not? Anyway, let's warm up before we get started." For the next 10 minutes, we stretched our muscles before I went over to put a cd in my boombox. Luckily, it comes with a remote so I can start and stop when I need to. "Okay. I wanna see what kind of moves you got and… hang on." I get a sheet of construction paper and tape it over the small window in the door.

**"AWWWW! COME ON! SO WRONG! YOU SUCK!"** They griped.

"And don't even think about opening the door to peek!" I shout. "Okay, now. I'm gonna start the music and you do what you do."

"Uh… okay." John cringed.

I saw the look on his face and he shouldn't be worried. He's not THAT bad… is he? I hit the remote and "Lose Control" by Missy Elliot fills the room with bumping music.

"Okay, go!" I order. After a few tense moments, John began moving and… I guess you could call it dancing. Limbs were flinging all over the place and… I swear, I didn't know whether to laugh or… I dunno. Let's just say he was a sight and leave it at that. _"Okay, I stand corrected."_ I thought to myself. "Okay, stop! **Stop stop stop**!" I hit the pause button and walk over to John. "What the hell was that?"

"Dancing." He said to me simply.

_"On what planet?"_ I thought to myself. "No, it looked like you were having it out with Freddy Kruger and you were trying to fight your way out of his nightmare." I say to him. "You do that in any of your matches, nobody would beat you because you'd knock their asses out!"

"See, I told you I sucked!" John said sadly.

"John- no, you don't. You just need a little help." He looked at me like "uh huh." "Okay, a LOT of help. But that's why I'm here." I stood there thinking of what to do next. Then I saw John's behavior before he even started… doing whatever it was he was doing. "Okay, before you started, what did you do?"

"I… thought about what I was going to do." John told me.

"See, that's the problem. You need to stop doing that."

"What do you mean?"

"Dancing… it's not about thinking." Gwen walked up to him. "It's an expression of the soul. It's like singing with your body!"

"I can't sing, either." John replied. My face fell as I looked at him and he flashed me those damn, cute ass dimples. Stop it!

**"Oh, my... work with me!"** I laugh. "Okay, okay. Lemme think a moment. Okay. Think of it as wrestling… but to music." Yeah, that could work. "You have a passion for wrestling, right?"

"Of course, I do. I love it. It's like when my music hits, and I hear the crowd, something takes over my whole body. When I get in that zone, I'm a completely different person."

"Well, dancing is about that same kind of passion. The moment the music takes over your very body and soul… that's when the magic happens. It's not about what goes in here." I point to his head. "It's all about what goes on in here." And I put my hand on his chest. I could feel his heart beating and I could swear it beat a little faster when I placed my hand there. I think mine began beating a bit faster, too. As much as I wanted to keep my hand there, I removed it. "Now, I want you to do something."

"What?"

"Close your eyes."

John did as I told him and closed those baby blues.

"You're not gonna drop kick me, are you?" He asked with a smirk. I then gave him a V-8 bop on his forehead.

"If I wanted to do that, I want you to see it coming." I told him with a chuckle. "Now, listen to me. When I turn that music back on, I want you to do **ONLY** two things: listen… and move."

"Alright." John nodded as I start the music.

"Remember… don't think… feel. Listen to the music and the moment it takes over your body and soul, I want you to move."

As Missy played again, I watched John. I had my own camera taping everything so I can go over it with him. His legs twitched as the music played and I could tell he was trying to map out moves in his head.

_"Stop thinking, John. Just let the music move you."_ I think to myself. After a minute, he starts to move and… he's actually doing really well. Dare I say it, but, he's good. **WOW!** He's actually got some natural talent. The song ends and John stops. His eyes open when he hears me clapping.

"So… how did I do?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?"

I grab the camera and rewind back to when he started for the second time. I turn it to him and show him. The look on his face was one of shock and awe.

"No… way. Is that… me!?" John watched in disbelief as he saw himself moving like he should be on America's Best Dance Crew.

"That's you." I smile. "That's how you move when you don't think about your moves. It's about the music, the passion… it's about feeling the vibes instead of thinking how to move to them." I smile. "And, I have to say, you were looking pretty good on the dance floor."

"I-I still can't believe that's me!"

"See, you were putting yourself down for nothing." I smile. "You have some real talent. I have an idea."

"What?"

"How would you like to surprise EVERYONE by dancing at the next Pay-Per-View? Not Night of Champions, but the next one after it?"

"Sounds great! If you think I can do it."

"After seeing this, I know you can." I smile.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He smiled. Next thing I know, he scooped me up in a hug. It only lasted a few minutes… not NEARLY long enough. He put me down and we looked in each other's eyes.

"So…" I say.

"So…" He said. "I can't thank you enough for doing this for me so… I dunno how to ask, but…"

"Just say it." I smirk.

"Okay. Um… would you like to go out with me tonight?" He asked with a slight blush. Okay, dimples are bad enough. Now he's blushing, too? Stop getting cuter!

"Um, sure. I'd love to." I smile.

"Great! How about tonight at 7?"

"7 it is."

"Cool. I'll see you then!"

"Yeah. I guess this lesson's over. We can start our next one after Night of Champions. I have loads of ideas for a routine!"

I pack up my things and John opens the door for me and bodies just spilled into the room!

**"AAAAAAAH! GET OFF ME! YOUR KNEE IS ON MY NECK! THIS IS WORSE THAN TWISTER NIGHT WITH SAM! SOMEONE NEEDS TO GO ON A DIET! MOVE YOUR LEG! THAT'S NOT MY LEG! EEEWWWW!"**

John and I just look down at EVERYONE is grumbling and in a jumbled pile on the floor.

"Um… This was AJ's idea!" C.M. Punk laughed.

"**WHAT!? WAS NOT!** It was all him!"

"Get up!" I laugh. "You guys just couldn't stay away, could you?"

"You were teaching John how to dance. **JOHN!** We wanted to see!" Randy reasoned.

"And this is why I ran everyone out." I laugh. "Now, his dance lessons are private. No exceptions. I can't teach someone who's self-conscious so I don't want anyone playing paparazzi. Got it!?"

They all grumble in unison.

**"GOT IT!?"**

**"GOT IT!"**

"Good." I smile. "Now, Alicia, can I see you and the girls for a minute? I need to talk to you about something."

"Yeah, no problem." Alicia nodded. John led me out and I go with the girls to the juice bar. "Okay, so what's going on? How's John's dancing?"

"Is it as bad as we said?" Kelly Kelly asked.

"He didn't step on your toes, did he, chica?" Rosa asked.

"No… he didn't. And I'm not gonna divulge anything about his dancing." I smirk. "That's not what I wanted to talk to you about. I need some help."

"Help with what?" Layla asked.

"Well… um… John asked me out tonight." I grin and the girls squealed.

"Oh, girl! We're so happy for you!" They hugged her tightly. "This is awesome, but what do you need help with?" Alicia asked.

"All my clothes are jeans and t-shirts. I don't have shit to wear! And forget hair and makeup!"

"Don't panic! You just happened to come to the right place." Kelly Kelly smiled. "I know you hate this, but this is practically an emergency! Ladies? Shopping!"

"Chica, we're gonna hook you up with hot sauce!" Rosa smiled. "John will totally forget about Liz when he sees you!"

I cringe at the thought of shopping again, but this is my first date so, I guess I gotta suck it up.

"And this is your first date ever! You have to look especially smashing, tonight." Layla said, her British accent shining through.

"You know, I never knew you were British." I said. Here come those weird looks.

"How could you not know?" Layla laughed.

"Well? You hid it well when you were with Lay-Cool." I said.

"Okay, I'll let that slide. Now, come on. We have lots to do and not much time. You need a makeover!"

"Just no heels, I can't walk in them."

"I think you can work kitten heels." Alicia said. "They're only this high and super cute."

I thought about it and I guess there's no getting around it.

"Okay. Let's get to it."

"Sweet! We'll shower quick and get started. When's the date?" Kelly asked.

"Tonight at 7. I don't even know what he has planned." I said.

"Well whatever it is, I know he's gonna make it memorable." Rosa smiled.

The girls and I shower quickly and leave the gym to go shopping. I'm glad it's so early because I'm gonna need all the help I can get to get ready.

* * *

-Later that night-

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

After my first dance lesson, the guys have been bugging me with questions about what we did and if I stepped on her toes. It also didn't help that some of the Divas basically kidnapped Gwen afterwards and took her shopping all day. I guess she told them about our date tonight. Anyway, I'm getting ready and I'm a bit nervous. I'm planning on taking her out to dinner and maybe go for a walk afterwards. I know this is her first date ever and I want to make it extra special for her. I told Randy about my plans and he just sighed.

"A walk? **A WALK!?**"

"Yes, a walk. No good?"

"Not for a girl's **FIRST DATE EVER**! You have to make it memorable!" Randy said. "So where are you taking her for dinner?"

"There's this Italian bistro called Pasquale's."

"I've been there. Good choice." Randy said. Well at least he likes my choice of restaurant. "But the walk? It doesn't say 'date'. It says 'let's work of this meal. I wouldn't want you to get fat'."

"Yikes, I didn't think of that. So what do you suggest?" Now that he mentioned it, a walk isn't a good idea after all. "I can't do a movie. That's too…"

"Predictable?"

"Yeah. I want her to never forget this night as long as she lives." Wow, I've never been this worked up over a date since Liz.

"Then, do this." And Randy shows me a picture of a horse-drawn carriage. "Go for a carriage ride around town. It's romantic, not the typical thing to do on a date and it's not too girly for her taste. I mean, come on. What girl doesn't like horses?"

"That's perfect! Thanks, man!"

"Don't thank me. Set it up!"

"Oh, right!" I chuckle. "Yellow pages, here I come." It didn't take me much time to find a guy to be waiting outside the restaurant after we finish our dinner. I check the Weather Channel and thankfully, it's gonna be a clear night full of stars. Perfect.

-Date time-

"Ready to sweep Gwen off her feet?" Randy asked me as I fix my tie.

"You bet. I can just imagine what she's gonna be wearing."

"Probably a nice pants suit. I can't really see her in a dress." Randy said.

"Too bad. I bet she'd look really nice." I muse to myself. I know how hot Gwen looked in those workout clothes, but if I saw her in a dress, I think I'd lose it. I grab the single rose I bought for her from the gift shop downstairs and I walk across the hall to pick Gwen up. I knock on her door and I hear Layla.

"Hi, John."

"Hey. Is Gwen ready?"

"Is she ever? Stay right there… but close your eyes."

What is it with everyone wanting me to close my eyes today? Anyway, I comply and I hear the door open. The scent of her perfume hits my senses and it was intoxicating. If she looks half as good as she smells, I might not be able to keep my hands off of her.

"Okay! Open your eyes!"

I open my eyes… and I thought they'd bug out. She's… in a dress. A blue dress… my favorite color.

(A/N: It won't let me post the link for the dress here so I'm putting it in my profile. Take a look at Gwen's pretty dress. :) )

"You-you look fantastic!" I say to her in a hushed voice.

"Doesn't she?" Kelly Kelly smiled. I just nod. I was just awestruck. She's beautiful. It was then that I noticed something.

"You're not wearing your glasses."

"I got some contacts." She smiled. "You really think I look okay?"

"More than okay. You look beautiful." I say as I give her the rose.

"Thank you." I watch as she sniffs it and I see Thunder sitting by her feet.

"Mama looks pretty, doesn't she boy?" I ask and Thunder barks happily. "Well, shall we?"

"Let's." She smiled.

"Have fun, you two!" The divas giggled.

"Just not TOO much fun!" Rosa chuckled.

I shake my head and lead Gwen to my Escalade. I help her in like a gentleman and once we arrive at Pasquale's, I help her out the same way.

"I love Italian." She smiled.

"I'm glad. I want to make tonight special for you." I smile back. The head waiter led us to our table and handed us our menus.

"Would you like some breadstick while you look over our menus?"

"Yes, thank." I nod. "Gwen, would you like something to drink?"

"Just ice water, thank you. I don't drink."

I was going to order wine, but I don't want anything to ruin tonight for her so, for tonight, I'm going clean.

"I'll have the same."

"Very good."

"Wow, everything looks good. I don't think I can pick. Have you been here before?"

"A few times." I smile. "The Chicken Parmesan and their lasagna are amazing. So is their spaghetti and meatballs but I guess that's in all Italian restaurants."

"Have you decided?" The waiter asked as he brought our water and breadsticks.

"I think I'll go with the Chicken Parmesan." Gwen decided.

"I'll have the lasagna." I nodded.

"Excellent choices." He smiled as he took our menus.

"You really do look beautiful tonight." I say.

"Thank you. You clean up pretty good yourself." I can't keep my eyes of how her long hair caresses her bare shoulders whenever she moves her head. Lucky hair. Just like in the movies, a guy playing a mandolin and a concertina came over and played for us.

"This reminds me of Lady and the Tramp." She chuckled.

"I guess we should be glad we didn't order the spaghetti because I definitely would have pushed the meatball over with my nose." We laugh.

-A little bit later-

We finished our meal and we were now at dessert and I was just entertaining Gwen with stories about when I was a kid and she was in stitches. Yeah, growing up with 5 brothers… can you say Animal House?

"So, there I was with my Little League team, my brothers and cousin Marc had already gone up to bat. It's bottom of the 9th, 2 men out, bases loaded and our team was down by one run. My coach called out, 'JOHNNY!' And I saluted 'yes, sir!'"

What I didn't know was that the whipped cream that was on my spoon, was now in my hair and sliding onto my forehead.

"Yeah, what happened next?" Gwen asked giggling.

"Well, I take my turn at bat and I hear the crowd shouting 'JOHNNY, JOHNNY!' and the pitcher lets the ball go. Strike one! Strike two! And then he went in for three… and I swing!"

"So… you… hahaha… got a home run?"

"Uh… no. I ended up getting beaned and walked in the winning run. What's so funny?" I ask her. She just kept laughing and handed me her spoon. I look in it and I see my reflection… complete with dripping cream sliding down my forehead. "Oh… why didn't you say anything?" I laughed as I wiped my forehead.

"I… couldn't… laughing… too hard."

We both ended up laughing and the whole place thought we lost our minds.

"Oh, that was too funny!" She giggled.

"And the night's not over yet." I pay for our food and lead Gwen to the door. What she saw waiting for her made her eyes bug out.

"Oh… my… God!"

In front of her was a horse-drawn carriage with a nice chestnut horse.

"Care to take a carriage ride with me?" I smile at her.

Gwen was speechless. She just handed me her hand and I walked her outside. I help her on first and I climb in behind her.

"Where to, sir?" The driver asked.

"To the park and back. Take the scenic route." I smile.

"Yes, sir." He urged the horse forward and we just relaxed in each other's company I saw Gwen shiver a bit so I draped my jacket over her. "You looked cold." Thank you, Weather Channel.

"Thanks." She smiled. When she leaned over and put her head on my shoulder, I couldn't resist. I had to put my arm around her. Right then, I fought the urge to kiss her because I figured she wasn't the "kiss on the first date" kind of girl. Time passed and we basically rode through the entire city. The vibe was just like in a fairy tale and I hope she felt the same way. We were a good ways away from the restaurant and I asked the driver to stop at the park. I didn't want this night to end. Gwen lifted her head from my shoulder and looked up into the sky.

"Look! A shooting star! Quick, close your eyes and make a wish!" She said wistfully.

Again with the eye closing, but since this was Gwen, I obliged and made my wish. When I was finished I looked over and Gwen had the most angelic look on her face.

"Look at that full moon. I was born under one."

"Really? I didn't know that." I smiled. "That's beautiful." Okay, I think now's a good time to bring up the other offer. Not THAT offer, you horndogs! "Hey, Gwen?"

"Hmm?"

"I have something to tell you. After I got off the phone with you, Vince came up to us and had an interesting offer." Here it goes. "You remember Jerry's heart attack?"

"How can I forget? I was scared. I'm glad he's okay, though."

"Well, Vince wants to offer you a spot as an announcer." I began. "As a trial basis and, if things work out, he wants to give you a permanent position."

Again, her eyes widened in surprise. I'm not sure if that's good or bad yet.

"Wow! Um… just wow!"

"Is that a good 'wow' or a bad 'wow'?" I ask. I hope she says yes. I don't think I can take it if she said no.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 9**

Well? I know, I know. **WHY A CLIFFIE!?** Because I can! HAHAHAHA! Anyway, do you think she'll accept? Well, I'm sorry this took so long, but I hope it's worth it. As always, read, review… **ESPECIALLY** review ;) and pass it on! Till next time, PEACE!


	10. A Beatdown in Bean Town!

Hey, guys! Glad to see you're still sticking with me through this story! I can't believe I have 48 reviews already! WAY more than the last time I tried this story, and it only got up to four chapters! Thanks, guys, you ROCK! Anyway, Sorry, as usual for the late update. I've been having some medical issues lately, plus it seems like every time I try to type, I get called away. But no biggie. Huge thanks to my loyal reviewers and here's a big CENATION SHOUT-OUT to my two newest ones! **XTREMEMNCOWGIRL** and **ORCHIDI007711!** Thanks for stopping by! And for those I haven't seen lately, where are you? I miss you guys? Anyway, let's get things started, shall we?

**Disclaimer:** I own NOTHING WWE related. I just own Gwen, Dee, Thunder and ALL UNFAMILIAR people and places! Thanks! :D Now… ON WITH THE FIC!

* * *

Last Time…

_"I have something to tell you. After I got off the phone with you, Vince came up to us and had an interesting offer." Here it goes. "You remember Jerry's heart attack?"_

_"How can I forget? I was scared. I'm glad he's okay, though."_

_"Well, Vince wants to offer you a spot as an announcer." I began. "As a trial basis and, if things work out, he wants to give you a permanent position."_

_Again, her eyes widened in surprise. I'm not sure if that's good or bad yet._

_"Wow! Um… just wow!"_

_"Is that a good 'wow' or a bad 'wow'?" I ask. I hope she says yes. I don't think I can take it if she said no._

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, I'm just sitting there with my mouth hanging open because John just sprung this amazing opportunity on me. I mean, announcing for the WWE is a HUGE deal plus, I'd see John all the time. I'd be brain dead to say no. And considering I'm sitting behind the hind end of a Chestnut horse, I better close my mouth and say something quick.

"Um… it's a good 'wow'. It's very good!" I stammer. "This is really big."

"Well, you were a big hit that Monday night. People were tweeting about you like crazy! Still are, in fact." John smiled. "So, is that a yes or no?"

I had to take another moment to make sure that this was what I wanted to do. It could be life-changing, both financially and… maybe… personally. Hey, no guts, no glory, right?

"Okay. I'll give it a shot!" I say with a smile.

**"ALRIGHT!"** John shouted and it spooked the horse enough to make him rock the carriage. "Whoa! Sorry about that." He laughed. "Hey, how about we go back and tell everyone the good news?"

"I can do that." I smile and I shiver a bit. I wrap the jacket around me even tighter as John told the driver to go back to the restaurant. "So, what happens now?"

"Well, Vince would sign you to a temporary contract and if things work out, you'll have a permanent one. I just hope you won't mind being stuck between Cole and whoever else is with him for that week." He smirked. I just cringed and remembered the last time I met Cole. "I know that look. Cole's another one who's nothing like his persona on tv. He's really a cool guy."

"Okay, either I'm really naïve or you guys are better actors than I thought." I said seriously. "Wait, you said next Monday? As in after Night of Champions?"

"Yup." John smiled. "Until then, you'll be observing and getting acclimated to everything and everyone. In other words, you'll be backstage at every show... including our next PayPerView."

Oh, wow! My first PayPerView and I'll be backstage! I'm gonna be taking pics like nobody's business! Dee's gonna hate me!

"Damn, this just gets better and better! I'm inclined to think this is all a really wicked dream!" I smile as we reach the restaurant. John got out first and helped me out if the carriage. I gave the horse a few pets on his silky mane and smiled at the driver. "Thanks for the ride. It was wonderful."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Good night." He smiled back.

"Night." John and I said. As the carriage trotted off, John and I got into his car and drove back to the hotel. I have to admit, for my first date ever, it was incredible and John was a true gentleman. Just like a fairy tale… except real. Now we're back at the hotel and John walks me to my room. I know. This is that point in the date where there's supposed to be a kiss.

"So, I guess this is good night." He says with a smile. Man, if he keeps flashing me those dimples, I might forget I'm the "no kissing on the first date" kinda girl.

"Yeah. I had an amazing time." I smile. "And I found out whipped cream makes a great hair mousse." I laugh.

"Oh, don't you start that again!" He laughed. We stop at the door and just stand there looking into each others' eyes. It was like we were the only two people in the world. John leaned in closer and we're about two seconds away from a juicy lip lock when…

"Hey guys, I brought over… **WHOOPS!**" John and I moved apart because Alicia came back with Thunder at the WORST possible moment and ruined everything! THANKS A LOT! Your last name is FOX and you have all the stealth of a Brahma bull with glaucoma! She just stared at us while my dog yipped happily at the fact that mama was home. "Oh, boy! I… uh… What's that, Thunder? You need to use the bathroom? Okay, let's go! Bye!" She prattled out quickly. She picked up Thunder and ran out of the hall giggling the whole way. John and I just chuckled and, in a way, I'm kinda glad she interrupted us. I'm still the new girl and I don't want anyone to think I got here... that way.

"Well, that was… interesting." I smirk.

"Tell me about it. I should warn you now; this place is like an insane asylum sometimes." John told me. "Crazy people everywhere!"

"Well, in that case, I should fit right in." I smirk. "Anyway, I better get some rest. Tomorrow's a big day for me. Good night."

John took my left hand and kissed it just like that night at the club.

"Good night, Gwen." John said. He gave me a wink before going back to his room.

I took out my card of my purse, unlocked my and went inside my room. I was about to slip out of this dress… and these shoes when I hear a knock at the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me and the girls!" Alicia yelled back. Okay, for what happened a few minutes ago, I SHOULD just leave her out there… but then I remember she was puppy sitting and still has Thunder with him. She dodged a bullet… for now. With a sigh, I open the door and Alicia runs in with the girls who helped me get ready tonight.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm SO sorry!" She apologized. "I should have waited a few more minutes…"

"Wait… what happened?" Layla asked.

Thanks to Alicia… absolutely nothing.

"I… kinda… interrupted a kiss." Alicia cringed. My room filled with groans and looks of disappointment from the other Divas.

"Ay Chihuahua! You didn't!" Rosa shook her head.

"It wasn't like I was trying to! I was expecting them to be out a little later!" Alicia admitted.

"How late did you think we'd be out?" I asked weirdly.

"Well… I dunno!" Alicia frowned.

I just shook my head and went to my room to change.

"Okay, let's forget the fact that Alicia basically ruined probably the most important moment of your life thus far…" Kelly Kelly stated.

"I said I was sorry! Damn!"

"Let's move on! Tell us about the date! We want details! Dish!" Kelly Kelly giggled. "Where did he take you?"

As I changed into my pajamas, I told the girls almost every detail of our date. I decided to spare John the embarrassment and keep the whole whipped cream incident to myself.

"And during the carriage ride, he sprung Vince's offer on me."

"Oh, a carriage ride. How romantic!" Layla swooned. "It's so Cinderella."

"Wait… so since we're the ones that got her ready, does that make us her Fairy Godmothers?" Kelly Kelly asked.

"Or those mice that made her first dress." Rosa chuckled.

"So… cute little talking mice… or Fairy Godmother?" Alicia weighed her options.

"If she's like the one that might be on Once Upon A Time, I'd vote Godmother. I know I wouldn't mind a happily ever after with Prince Charming." Rosa smirked.

"I know, right? He's so hot!" Kelly Kelly agreed.

"And Emma Swann? Love her leather jacket. You'd think she was really Red Riding Hood." Layla observed.

"Wouldn't it be weird if she was? I can't wait for season 2!" Alicia agreed.

Next thing I know, they were all talking about some series I don't even watch.

"Okay, how the hell did we go from my date to a show on ABC!?" I laughed.

The girls just looked at me and they all laughed. Apparently, they didn't realize that we went on a completely different tangent.

"Sorry!" They smiled.

"So, back to the date. You said John told you about Vince's offer." Layla recalled. "So, are you going to take it?"

"Yeah. I am." I smile. The girls cheered loudly and hugged me. Like me, they were genuinely excited.

"I'm glad. It's about time the announce team had some feminine flair." Rosa nodded.

"Thanks. I'm meeting with Vince tomorrow morning to sign." I cringe a bit because that means I'd have to wear a suit or something like that. "The only thing I'm not crazy about is the dress code. I'm really not a dress or skirt person."

"Maybe Vince'll let you have some leeway with that. I mean AJ wears pants." Kelly Kelly nodded.

"I hope so because if I have to defend myself, I don't wanna have to worry about getting a run in my stocking or some junk like that." I said seriously. And I wasn't kidding. I learned a long time ago that dressing girly doesn't really help in a fight… unless you have on stilettos and you can use them as weapons.

"Well, we're happy you're gonna be part of the gang; especially little Thunder. Right, little guy?" Alicia asked Thunder. My little dog barked cutely and the girls all cooed. Oh, yeah. Thunder's gonna love it here. "Anyway, we're gonna go so you can get some sleep. Good luck tomorrow!"

"Thanks. I'm gonna need it." I said good night to my friends and they gave little Thunder a few good night cuddles before they left my room. Once I sit on my bed, I let out a sigh. "Well, boy? This is gonna be the start of something big for us." I tell him. It could very well be. Maybe, somewhere down the line, something big could happen between me and John. Only time will tell; for now, it's bedtime.

* * *

-The Next Day-

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

It's around 10 a.m. and I'm just putting my cap after I received a call from Vince. He wants me to bring Gwen to his suite so she can sign her new contract. I dunno who's more excited about this: her or me. I walk over to her room and knock on her door and the first thing I hear is familiar bark.

"Hey, little man! Go get your mama, okay?" I chuckle. I wait outside the door for a few minutes until I see it open.

"Hey, John." She smiled. "Come in."

I walk in and I see she's already dressed in semi-casual. She had on a grey suit jacket, dark blouse and some dark-wash jeans.

"I'm gonna be comfortable during this meeting." She said to me.

"Well, that explains the sneakers." I smirk.

"You think he'll mind if I bring Thunder with me?"

"As long as he doesn't introduce any new business on his carpets, I don't think he'll mind." I chuckle. "Right, Thunder?" Her dog just barked at me in agreement. "So, shall we?" I held out my arm for her.

"Let's."

We rode the elevator up to the penthouse suite where Vince was waiting for us. Well, technically, he was just waiting for Gwen, but he never said I couldn't tag along. Anyway, I knocked on the door and Gwen looked a bit nervous.

"You okay?"

"Yeah; just jitters, I guess." She smiled lightly. "I guess I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything that's happened."

"Everything's gonna be fine. You'll do great." I reassure her. "And anyway, you have me as a bodyguard."

"Bodyguard?" She asked me.

"Well… yeah. You kinda made a few enemies when you and Dee were here. Might make a few more, but I got your back." I explain. "And Randy… and Kofi… and a few others." I chuckle. Gwen flashed me a sweet smile as the door opened. Standing there, ready to do business, was Mr. McMahon.

"John. Good morning. And hello to you, Gwen." He nodded.

"Hello again." She shook his hand. "I hope you don't that I brought Thunder."

"No, he's fine." He bent down and scratched the little guy's ears as Thunder wagged his tail. "In fact, Stephanie's here and I'm sure she won't mind seeing the little fella again." He chuckled. "Oh, on a different note, you won't have to worry about A.W. anymore. He's been released. That attack on you and your friend was his third strike."

"Oh, good." Gwen sighed. "But, technically, it was PTP that attacked me and Dee."

"Oh, I know. They're on thin ice as well." Mr. McMahon explained. "Now, how about we get down to business?"

"I'm game." Gwen nodded as I led Gwen inside the suite.

"Actually, **I'M** game." Triple H smirked. "Glad you decided to accept Vince's offer."

"I'm glad to be offered this chance." Gwen said. I could tell by her body language… she was still a bit jittery.

"Gwen, relax. My dad's not the crazy megalomaniac you see on tv… usually." She giggled. "I'm kidding. He's really a great guy." She handed her dad some official looking papers and he then handed them to Gwen to look over. Stephanie came over and picked up Thunder. "Hey, cutie pie!" She cooed. I had to hold in a laugh when Triple H rolled his eyes at how his wife was acting with Gwen's dog.

"Okay, Gwen. This is your temporary contract for the position of Announcer for the RAW brand." Mr. McMahon explained. You'll be working with Cole and, on occasion, JR and JBL. And if things go well, you'll also be calling matches during PayPerView events."

I watch as Gwen reads over her contract. She's no fool.

"I do have a question. What's my attire? Do I have to wear a business suit with a skirt or a dress?" She asked and the expression on her face plus the tone in her voice lets the big boss know how she feels about those kinds of clothes.

"Not comfortable in suits?" He asked.

"Not comfortable in dresses or skirts. I hate them with a passion plus if I have to defend myself, I don't want to have to worry about getting a run in my stocking or if my ass is hanging out because my skirt rode up." Gwen said frankly.

"Ah, I see." He chuckled. "You're a tomboy. I think you and AJ will get along just fine. Alright, you can wear something along the lines of what you have on now. I'll grant you a little flexibility with your outfits. Just don't come on air looking like Li'l Kim or Nicki Minaj and we're cool."

"You know about them?" She asked weirdly.

"What? I'm down with the latest music." He laughed.

"I bet you are." Gwen smiled. She gave her contract one last glance and finally signed on the dotted line. She handed the document to Mr. McMahon who shook her hand.

"And with this, I welcome you to the WWE family."

"Thank you so much!" She smiled. "I won't let you down."

"I'm not worried about that. The fan reaction you got speaks for itself." He smirked.

"Okay, so when do I start?"

"Next Monday night. Before the show, Stephanie can take you to Creative so you can get the general idea the show format. Other than that, we just want you to be you. The crowd seems to respond to that. In the meantime, you can use the rest of the week to hang backstage at all the events and any other promos. Get a feel for the place. John, I want you to show her the ropes. Teach her everything she needs to know."

Okay, I could hug Mr. McMahon right now… but I won't because that would be weird.

"You can count on me." I salute.

"Sweet! And thanks again." Gwen smiled.

"You're welcome, oh… before I forget…" Mr. McMahon looked over at his daughter and smirked. "Give the girl back her dog."

Stephanie just looked at her father and held Thunder like a child not willing to share her favorite toy.

"Do I have to?" She pouted.

"Stephanie…" Her father said more sternly.

"Aww, alright!" Stephanie pouted and reluctantly handed Gwen back her dog. "At least I get to see him all the time now."

There were more handshakes and Gwen and I finally leave the suite… with Thunder. I'm not gonna accuse Stephanie of anything, but Gwen might end up dogless if she's not careful. In the elevator, Gwen is just bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement.

"Chill, girl! You might make the cables snap!" I joke.

"I can't help it! This is… wow! Oh, I have to call Dee! She is gonna shit bricks!"

"How about waiting until we get back to your room? I kinda want to get back without looking like a pancake." I laugh and Gwen just smacks my arm.

"Okay fine." She laughed.

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, I'm back from the most important moment in my life… so far… and I'm fucking excited!

"Where's my phone?" I ask myself as I do the ceremonial "dumping of the purse contents". "Ah, there you are." I grab my phone and dial Dee's number.

_"City Morgue! You kill 'em; we chill 'em!"_

Uh oh. I know that one. She only uses that when her Aunt Flo comes to visit.

"I have some news that's gonna make you forget about Aunt Flo!" I say excitedly.

_"I doubt that, but go ahead."_ Dee said.

"Yikes. Okay, well… I went out on a date with John last night."

_**"WHAT!? OMG, GIRL! THAT'S AWESOME! TELL ME EVERYTHING!"**_ Dee shouted. I had to hold the phone away from my ears. I'm gonna need them later!

"I will, but there's more!"

_"Girl, you didn't go all the way, did you!?"_

"NO! Wedidn'tevenkissyet… but that's not it! Vince McMahon offered me an announce position on RAW!" I put her on speakerphone and open the door. I kinda want everyone to hear her reaction. 5…4…3…2…1…

_**"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE! HE DID NOT! OH, I'M SO JEALOUS OF YOU!"**_

The next thing I know, everyone on the hall runs out because they think there's a fight.

"What the hell!?" Punk shouted. "I thought someone was getting beat up!"

"Nope. I just told Dee about my news. My bad." I chuckle.

"So not funny!" Punk said. But the laugh he let out let me know he wasn't mad. The others that ran out had the same expressions… thank goodness.

_"That's so awesome! So, when do you start?"_

"Next Monday! This is so unreal!" I'm still on cloud 9.

_"Wicked! Now, tell me this… you go out on a date with John Cena… **AND YOU DIDN'T KISS HIM!? ARE YOU FUCKING BRAIN DEAD!? HAVE I TAUGHT YOU NOTHING!?**"_

I fiddle with my phone because I had meant to take it off speakerphone. Now everyone heard Dee's tirade and are laughing. Great. Just great!

"Well… Alicia walked in with Thunder and… kinda interrupted us."

_"Her ass is grass next time I see her. You waited so LONG for this!"_

"I know. But he was so sweet. He didn't want to rush. Oh, I have to show you the dress I wore-"

_"Wait… you wore a DRESS!? YOU!? Hang on."_ There was a pause on her end that lasted a few minutes and then Dee came back. _"I didn't see the Four Horsemen outside so the Apocalypse hasn't arrived yet."_

"That's cute." I say in a deadpan tone. "You wanna see it or not!?"

_"Girl, you know I do!"_

I just shake my head and send the pic of me in my baby blue dress to my best friend in the world.

"Okay, it should be in your inbox."

_"Aight! Lemme look."_ After a few minutes, I hear more screaming. _"Oh, girl! That dress is tight! I love it! Who did your hair and makeup!?"_

"Some of the Divas. And John liked the dress, too." I smile as I told her everything else. Again, I kept John's dessert malfunction to myself.

_"A horse-drawn carriage! Oh, girl, he could be the one!"_ Dee squealed.

"I sure hope so, girl." I sigh. "Well, I'm gonna go. I'll be sure to call you later, okay?"

_"You better. Take care of yourself, girl! And don't let those bitches push you around. I know you can get just as crazy as me so don't be afraid to let loose if you have to!"_

"I won't." I smile. "Love ya!"

_"Love ya, too! Bye!"_

"Bye." I hang up the phone and a smile crossed my lips. It's good to have that familiarity of a best friend backing you up. I swear, I dunno what I'd do without that crazy bitch in my life. I didn't even have time to contemplate on that because I hear another knock on my door.

"Hey, Gwen!"

It was John. I wonder what he wants now. I go over to open the door and he's standing there with this huge grin on his face.

"Should I be worried?" I ask him weirdly.

"No, I had this idea…"

"So, I SHOULD be worried." I laugh.

"See, that wasn't even right. I should just sulk on back to my room for that." He pouted, then smirked.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry. I was just kidding." I giggle. Man, he can look so pitiful when he wants to. It's adorable.

"Anyway, I was planning on visiting my folks since I'm in town and I want you to come with me."

Okay, meeting the folks? Kinda soon, isn't it? But then, I thought about it. We're gonna be on the road almost all year so might as well seize the opportunity to see the fam when you can.

"Yeah, I'd love to meet your family." I smile.

"That's great! You… might wanna get your purse because we're going now." He chuckled.

"Now? Why so soon? Do you have any shows tonight?" I ask.

"Oh, no. I'm off the rest of the day. John grinned. I could tell he missed seeing his family and that he was really excited. I read he has four brothers. Well, that's something we have in common. I do, too. "Since Night of Champions is here in Boston, you'll probably be seeing them around from time to time; especially my cousin, Marc."

"Oh, yeah. He rapped on your CD." I remembered. I laughed so hard when I saw his "Bad, Bad Man" video. I loved the A-Team and he pulled off Hannibal.

"Yeah. He's more like another brother than a cousin. He's just as nuts as we are." He laughed.

I just chuckled. I do remember seeing a special on tv.

"I saw that 'Once in a Lifetime' special on USA one time and I caught the segment of you and your family." I just looked at him with a weird expression. "Chainsaws? Electric fence? You guys went from Cops and Robbers to Texas Chainsaw Massacre! What the hell!?" John just bust out laughing at his childhood memories. "Your poor mom deserves a Purple Heart… either that or Hazard Pay!"

"Both! Believe me, for raising all of us, she deserves that and more!" John laughed. "Come on. I can't wait for you to meet them."

"They're all still in one piece, right?"

"Last time I spoke to them, they were." He smirked. Okay, so he's got 4 brothers and… they were all badass kids. Why do I have the feeling that this could have been made into a REALLY funny sitcom? Anyway, I get my purse and my dog and walk out with John to meet his family. If they're anything like they were when they were kids, I might be in trouble. I can barely handle one Cena; I dunno how I'm gonna deal with five! How did their mom do it!?

* * *

-West Newbury, MA-

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

Ah, the New. It's good to be home. I can't wait to introduce Gwen to everyone. I still remember the night I almost choked to death. After I sent my Tout, mom, dad and my brothers were all asking me if I was okay and if I ever found out who saved me. The following Monday, mom practically insisted I bring Gwen by THAT NIGHT! Anyway, I'm just five minutes from my house and I see Gwen taking in the scenery.

"Miss Gwen. Welcome to The New! So, how do you like my old stomping grounds?" I ask her.

"It's nice here." She said.

"Man, I had some fun times here. Every corner holds a great memory for me." I sighed. Of course I have a few I wish I could forget, but hey, that's every childhood. Now, I'm hoping to make a few new memories here. Anyway, I'm turning into a familiar driveway and I lay eyes on the place I called home for most of my life. **"Home, sweet home!"** I yell out. I see Marc's car and my dimples are out and poppin'! "Come on!" I say to Gwen. I know, I'm acting like I did when I was 8, but I can't help it! Being around my family just does that to me. I run up to the front door and knock on it like a mad man. Gwen comes up behind me with Thunder in tow and I can tell she's shaking her head.

"Coming! You don't have to break my door down, John!" I hear a familiar voice shout. I smile when the door swings open and I see the smiling face of my mother.

"Mom!" I pick her up and swing her around and I can never get tired of hearing her laugh when I do this. "Miss me?"

"Of course, I do, honey!" She kisses me on the cheek and I return the favor. I see her looking behind me and I can't wait to make this introduction. "Oh, who's this young lady?"

"Mom, I want you to meet Gwen Turner… also known as the woman who saved my life." I grin. "Gwen, this is my mom, Carol."

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am." Gwen smiled and offered her hand to be shaken. I hope mom likes her as much as I do.

"It's nice to finally you, as well. And get out of here with that!" And my mom wraps Gwen in a warm hug like she would do with any other member of the family. "Oh, I can't thank you enough for saving my baby! Honey! Get in here! We have company!"

A few minutes pass and in walks my namesake: my dad.

"John!" My dad hugs me and he looks over at Gwen. "So, who's this? Your new girlfriend?" He smiles.

_"From your lips to God's ears."_ I think to myself. "Dad, this is the girl I told you about. Gwen, this is my dad, John Sr. Or Johnny Fabo."

"So you're the one who saved my boy! Come on!" And, like mom, he wrapped Gwen in a tight embrace. Yeah, I come from a family of huggers.

"It's nice to meet you, sir." Gwen chuckles.

"Hey, after what you did for John, here, you can call me John… or Fabo. You moved past formalities with us." My dad smiles. "I saw you on Raw a couple of weeks ago. You and your friend are a couple of firecrackers."

"Thanks. It was a blast being on tv." She grinned. Alright, my parents like her. That's great. Now I just have to hope the guys do. And I hear voices coming from the hallway and that can only mean one thing… brothers. Right on cue.

"Hey, bro!"

"Cuz, what's up?"

The next thing I know, I'm at the bottom of a 6-man pile up and my mom and dad are doing NOTHING to help me. Ah, it's GOOD to be home!

"Boys! Boys! Knock it off, now! Johnny's brought a lady friend over!" Mom shouted, but she was laughing so they took their time getting off me.

"You are a strong and patient woman." I heard Gwen say to my mom.

"I gave birth to 5 boys; I either had to be strong or immediately institutionalized." She laughed.

One by one, the guys got off me and I was finally able to breathe. I look up and I see Gwen shaking her head as she tried to hide her giggles. I just hope these knuckleheads didn't embarrass me in front of her.

"Gwen, I'm really sorry about that little… greeting." I laugh. "But these are my brothers. That's Dan, Matt, Steve, and Sean. We call him 'Boog'." I watch as Gwen shakes hands with all of them and when she got to Sean…

"Boog. Do I even wanna know how you go that nickname?" She asked with a smirk.

"Only if you want to see your breakfast again." Dan laughed.

"And this is my cousin, Marc Predka; a.k.a. Tha Trademarc." I smiled.

"Catchy." Gwen held out her hand to be shaken but then Marc had this look of "I know you!" on his face.

"Wait… you're the girl John pulled up on Raw that night!" Marc said. "You saved him from choking!"

"Yeah, I did." Gwen shrugged nonchalantly. She's nothing if not humble.

"Don't be humble! You're a hero and as far as I'm concerned, you're family."

Uh oh. That could be disastrous. When my brothers consider someone family, they basically do the same thing to them that they did to me just now. Marc took Gwen's hand, pulled her into a group hug with my brothers and then…

**"DOGPILE!"** They shout. Now, the last time they did this, I was with Liz and… let's just say it didn't go over so well. They never got along since. I hear Gwen scream and I was about to jump in and pull the guys off of her, but I notice that she's laughing. And get this, she's joining in! I see her wrestling with them just like she's one of the guys… and even had Dan in an STF.

**"TAP!"** She yells.

"To a girl?! **ARE YOU NUTS!?**" Dan screams.

"Well, you're in a no-win situation. If you win, big deal; you beat a girl. If you lose, you lost to a girl. So just preserve your manhood and tap and I promise I won't tell anyone you got taken down by a chick half your size."

I'm just laughing my head off at how Gwen had Dan in a compromising position. Dan knew she was right and quickly tapped. Gwen released her hold and winked at my older brother.

"See, was that so bad?" She smirked.

**"YES!"** He laughed.

"Damn! Where did you learn that?" Steve asked.

"I grew up with four brothers, too. Mine are all older, though." She chuckled.

"So you're used to roughhousing." Matt nodded. "I like this girl already!"

"I had to be. I'm the youngest AND the only girl in the family besides mom and whenever sports season rolled around, I was railroaded into joining in. If it was football, I was the tackling dummy!"

"If it was basketball, you were the mascot." Sean joined in. Gwen looked over and nodded in agreement.

"Exactly! Baseball… I was the umpire!"

"And if it was wrestling, you were the ref!" She and Sean said in unison.

"He gets it!" Gwen nodded.

"I know! I'm the baby in this family, too. I feel your pain!" Sean said as he hugged Gwen again. As they hugged, one member of the party decided to remind someone that they were in the room and mom quickly took notice.

"Aww! Who's this little darling?" Mom cooed.

"That's my baby, Thunder." Gwen greeted. Thunder walked over and sat on sat on his haunches in front of my mom.

"Oh, he's just adorable!" My mom picked him up and thunder turned on the puppy charm. "Aww, yes you are!"

"Is there anyone he can't charm?" I ask.

"Cats?" Gwen laughed.

"Hey, why don't you stay for lunch? We'd love to know more about you." My dad offered. "What do you think, Carol? Carol? Sweetheart?"

My mom is just cuddling and tickling Thunder's tummy the whole time dad's trying to talk to her.

"Sweetie?!"

"Huh?" My dad just rolled his eyes.

"I just invited Gwen to have lunch with us." My dad chuckled.

"Oh, that's fine, darling." She smiled at him, then looked at Thunder… and smiled at dad again. "Honey?"

"We are NOT having any more kids, Carol! Isn't five enough!?" We all laughed.

"Oh, hush! I wasn't thinking that!" She chuckled. "I was going to say I wanted a little dog like Thunder. It'll be like having a little child in the house again."

"Complete with potty training." Gwen smirked. "And I'd love to have lunch with you guys."

I was happy that everyone was getting along so well… despite my mom's unhealthy obsession with Gwen's dog. Anyway, this was more than I hoped for. They weren't crazy about Liz and they practically already welcomed Gwen into the family!

-A bit later-

We're all at the table eating lunch and Gwen's telling them about how we met and everyone's just shooting questions at her left and right. They asked about her family, her home life, everything. But she's a trooper; she just answered every one.

"So, lemme get this right. Your saving John was a fluke?" Matt asked.

"TOTAL fluke!" Gwen affirmed. "I was walking around the Pyramid completely lost and wandered into the locker room area. I heard this crash and look inside and there was John kneeling on the floor with his hand on his throat. I ran in and give him the Heimlich and he was fine. Of course at the time, I didn't even KNOW it was him. I didn't figure that out until he came out for the main event.

"And, cuz. YOU didn't realize she saved you… even AFTER you signed her poster!?" Marc asked me in shock. "Come on!"

"What do you guys want from me? I JUST had a near-death experience and when I got up to thank her, she ran out of the locker room. All I saw was the back of her head and her birthmark." I scoffed.

"Yeah, but dude! You see her in the front row… with the SAME clothes and hair… and you didn't make the connection!? Stevie Wonder could have put two and two together!" Steve laughed.

I just shook my head.

"Okay, I'm no Sherlock Holmes! I get it!" I laugh.

"Well, in any rate, I thank whatever forces led you back there that night." Carol smiled as she set down some food for Thunder. "Because of you, I still have my son."

"It was nothing, Mrs. Cena." Gwen blushed.

"Oh, stop with that 'Mrs. Cena'. Call me Carol." Thunder was under the table barking up at the guys.

"Thunder, don't even try begging for scraps." Gwen scolded.

"Okay, I've been meaning to ask you this for a while. Why did you name such a little dog Thunder?" I ask.

"Yeah. It's kinda like naming a goldfish, Raiden or something." Marc chuckled. Okay… either he's psychic or our family has some 'splaining to do. Gwen just chuckled and looked down at her little dog.

"Well, I adopted him from a shelter back home and it was storming at the time." Gwen began. "He was with his mom and littermates but he was huddled in the corner of the cage by himself and whimpering. The storm was growing louder and when the thunder clapped, he cried. It broke my heart and I told the volunteer I wanted him. He was no bigger than a tennis ball. Anyway, when he took the dog out and handed him to me, he curled up in my arms. When he asked me what I was gonna name him, I said 'Thunder'. He's not afraid of it anymore. Lightning… that's another story." She chuckled.

"Oh, that is so sweet!" My mom smiled. "He's a lucky little dog."

"I'm the lucky one." Gwen said as she picked up her pet. "He's comforted me through a lot of lonely nights."

I couldn't help but smile and feel bad for Gwen. I can't even imagine what she went through before she got those RAW tickets. I know she has Dee and now Thunder. Now, I'm sitting here hoping I could be the one to end her lonely nights.

* * *

-Boston: NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Can you tell I'm on a HUGE high right now? I meet John's family and they're so nice… and crazy. Mrs. Cena… Carol… deserved Fort fuckin' KNOX for a Mother's Day present for putting up with those guys! She showed me some of their childhood videos and… yikes. It's a wonder none of them have any limbs missing or noticeable scars! I spent the day with then and stayed overnight. I remember overhearing them asking John if I was his girlfriend. I mean, we just went out on ONE date, but… "girlfriend"… sounds nice. Maybe someday. When we left their house, Mr. Cena had to convince his wife to give me my dog back. Is there nobody he can't charm? Anyway, I'm backstage at Night of Champions with my smartphone and I'm doing my own "Backstage Fallout" for Dee. Everyone's here… even the ones Dee and I didn't rub the right way. Stephanie has Thunder with her so he didn't run out during any promos. Anyway, I'm shooting video and I see Eve talking to someone. I can't see their face but I had a feeling something was up so I tape it. After they finish, I duck behind a trunk as they walk by. Whew! That was close. I walk around some more and I see Kaitlyn warming up for her match. I only got to talk to her for a little bit, but she's really cool. I'm hoping she wins and I was going to make my way over to wish her luck when I see someone run up to her. Whoever it was had an object in their hands and clips Kaitlyn in the left ankle. They just straight up Jeff Gillooly'ed Kaitlyn!

(A/N: Look up Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan if you don't get the reference.)

I was ready to go see if she was okay when, who just happens to show up? Eve! I knew that ho had something to do with this! That little skank thinks she can play everyone in the WWE with her fake ass Miss America smile and sweet Girl Scout attitude! Not me. I know fake when I see it and she's about as legit as a six dollar bill! I hang back as Eve and a trainer help Kaitlyn to the medical bay and I'm thinking that I have evidence on my phone. This ain't leaving my sight! I'm gonna love exposing that little bitch in front of the world… but the timing has to be right. Your time's comin', Eve. Just wait.

-Later that night-

It's the main event in a few minutes and I see John warming up. I can tell he has the jitters. I mean, who wouldn't? He's in his hometown; you're not supposed to lose in your hometown. That's like the biggest shame in sports there is. I see him looking up at me and there's that smile. I also notice the new pink gear he's debuting to help spread the word about the WWE teaming with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

"Hey, Gwen."

"Hey, yourself." I say. "Looking good in pink."

"Thanks. I don't think The Hitman would mind me stealing his look. It is for a good cause." He chuckled.

"No better cause. Nervous about tonight?"

"A bit. This could be my biggest night since WrestleMania!" John said.

I know it's been a long while since he held the title so I decided to give him a bit of a pep talk.

"You're gonna do great! Just think of it like this. Win or lose, you still have your biggest fans behind you. Me included." I smile.

"Thanks, Gwen. That really means a lot." John and I stand there looking at each other and we were in our own world… that is until Punk walks up."

"Hey, lovebirds!" He chuckled. "Wishing us good luck, Gwen?"

"I guess I should wish you luck, too." I smirk.

"You 'guess'? That-that hurts, Gwen." He jokingly acts hurt. "Hurts right here! I do have a heart you know." He said as he put his hand on the wrong spot.

"Yeah." I chuckle as I move his hand to the correct spot. "Right there."

"So, I flunked Biology. Sue me!" He laughed. "Anyway, I hope you're enjoying tonight. Can't wait to see you on Raw tomorrow."

"Thanks, Punk. It's gonna be hard for me to see you as a heel, but I'll manage." I smirk.

"See ya after the show, man!" John said to his opponent.

"Later. Hey, let's all go out after RAW tomorrow night." Punk suggested.

"Okay. You're on." I nod. "Now you better get out there."

Punk chuckled at the two of us and went to make his entrance. I look up at John again and I so want him to win tonight.

"So… I better get to a monitor." I say reluctantly. "I don't wanna miss this."

"I better get going, too. Talk to you later?" He asked me.

"Definitely." I dunno what made me do what I did next, but, I got on my tip toes and kissed John on the cheek. "Good luck." Now, I'm blushing. Man, why did I do that? I see John gently place his hand on the spot where I kissed him and I see him grin from ear to ear. Dimples, ahoy!

"Thanks. I think you just gave me the inspiration to win tonight." He then goes out to the gorilla and waits for his music to hit and I go to the nearest monitor. Man, this match is gonna be epic!

* * *

-Night Of Champions: MAIN EVENT-

It's getting close to the end of the match and I'm on pins and needles as I watch everything go down. I'm totally expecting Paul Heyman to interfere but so far, he's not. Shocker. Anyway, I'm inwardly cheering John on as he and Punk keep kicking out of pin after pin. Talk about a nail-biter. I watch as Punk is sitting on the top turnbuckle and John climbs up after him. He grabs him and German suplexes him off the top and has him in a pinning position. 1… 2… 3! The bell rings and I'm going nuts inside! JOHN WINS! YES! And John is celebrating with his dad and family but… wait… the ref calls it a draw!? WHAT THE FUCK!? BOTH wrestlers' shoulders were down and because of that Punk is STILL the champ!? The hell!? He could have restarted the match like AJ did at SummerSlam! That was just jacked up! And Punk just hit John with the belt. Low blow! I know he's just acting but, damn! Poor John! This isn't supposed to happen! He's gotta be so heartbroken! After the show ends, I go to find John who's with his dad.

"I'm sorry, dad." I heard John say. I can see the look in his eyes and I can tell he had his heart set on winning.

"For what? Johnny, I don't care if you lost tonight. You had one of your best matches ever!" Mr. Cena told his son. "I'm proud of you no matter what and so are your mom and brothers…" I can see Mr. Cena looking at me with a smile. "And… I think she is, too."

"Hi." I say meekly. So reminds me of John's door greetings. John just smiled at me and walked over. I stood on my toes and gave him the tightest hug I could which was a feat in itself since he's got those broad shoulders. "I guess I'm a jinx, huh?"

"Jinx? Why do you think that?" John asked me.

"Because I wished you luck… and… well…" What am I supposed to think? I kiss a guy on the cheek and he LOSES!?

"Hey. You're not a jinx! My loss didn't have anything to do with you wishing me luck. Okay?" John said. "I mean, yeah, it would have been nice to win in my hometown, but there will be other title shots. I never gave up before and I'm not gonna start now. And now I have another reason to keep fighting."

"And that would be?" I asked.

"Well, she's about 5'7", wears glasses, has a moon birthmark and a cute, little dog… oh, yeah, she saved my life, too. Know anyone like that because I was gonna ask them if they wanted to hang out in my room and play some Mortal Kombat to get my mind off of tonight." He laughed.

I laugh and shake my head.

"I think I might know a girl. I'll tell her to swing by." I smirk.

"Thanks." John hugged his dad and I think he whispered something in his son's ear.

"This one's a keeper, Johnny. Don't screw this up." He chuckled.

"I won't, dad." John whispered back.

Yeah, guys like him don't come along every day. Good looking, funny, smart… and sucks at Mortal Kombat. My kinda guy!

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 10**

Awww, John may have lost the match, but I think he's won something even better. Well, next chapter is Gwen's debut as a RAW announcer. Who knows what's gonna happen. Remember the last time she sat behind the table? If you wanna know how things will turn out, read, review and PASS IT ON! I'd love to hit 100 reviews before the end of the year! Till then… PEACE!


	11. Do What Comes Naturally

Hey, guys! I'm back with another update and can you believe it's almost Hell in a Cell time!? I can't wait! Anyway, let's get down to business! To start, here's a **CENATION SHOUT-OUT** for my newest reviewer… **CANADICE**! Thanks for giving me your feedback! Much appreciated! And thanks to all my other loyal reviewers and to those I haven't seen in a while, I hope you come back because you're missing out on a lot! :p Okay, let's begin, shall we?

**Disclaimer**: As usual, I own NOTHING except my characters and any and all UNFAMILIAR people and places. I dunno why I do this for each chapter, I mean, you can just read it at chapter one, right? Anyhoo, ON WITH THE FIC!

* * *

-Boston: AFTER NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Man, tonight was crazy. On top of everything I saw backstage and the main event, I don't see how wrestlers handle it. All I know is I'm thankful for whoever invented video games because without them, I think we'd all go nuts. They're a good way to take out your frustrations without actually beating the shit out of someone. Right now, I'm in John's room playing Mortal Kombat and I'm letting him win. Any other day, I'd be kicking his ass, but since he already went through that tonight, I decided to stroke his ego. Call me a softie. After our fifth game, John gets up off the couch and makes his way to the kitchen.

"Hey, you want something?" He asked me from inside the fridge.

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks, anyway." I say to him. By this time, Stephanie had brought Thunder back after the show; I think I might have a permanent puppy sitter while I'm employed here. He came back with a couple of canned sodas and handed on to me.

"I thought you might be thirsty." He said to me.

"Thanks." I pull the tab on mine and it squirted all over the place. We both let out a scream as this geyser of carbonated lava spewed out. When it was over, I was soaked, John was soaked… even little Thunder was soaked. Poor thing. He shook out his fur and sent soda flying again throughout the hotel room. John and I had to shield ourselves with our hands. "Oh, my bad!" John just laughed as he went to grab a couple of towels. He threw one to me as he used the other to dry himself off.

"Maybe I should have told you I dropped that one before I handed it to you." He cringed playfully.

I look at him ready to glare daggers and… damnit… I think he's been hanging around Thunder too long because he's giving me that pathetic little pout and I have no choice but to cave. Ugh, I bet he got away with murder as a kid.

"Ya think?" I smirk as I dry myself and Thunder off. I notice that the schmutz was still on my glasses so I go over to the sink to rinse them off.

"When you finish, you wanna continue… letting me win?" John said and I can tell he has a smirk on his face by the tone of his voice. I turn around and, sure enough, he's got that smirk on his face. Busted.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I fib and he gives me that "you don't expect me to buy that" look. I'm not expecting him to buy it… just rent it long enough for me to think of a better excuse.

"Come on. I'm winning with Kano? He's the weakest guy in the game." John shot back with a chuckle. Yup, he saw through my ploy. Might as well fess up.

"Okay, so I've been letting you win." I say. "I'm sorry." I was kind of expecting John to be upset, but instead, he flashes me that smile of his.

"Thanks."

Okay, now I'm confused. Last time I checked, most guys hated when a girl lets them win at anything.

"For what?"

"For this. Preserving my ego." He said to me. "I know you could kick my ass on this game. You did it on my bus over… and over… and over…"

"I get it!" I laugh. "I just didn't want you to feel bummed about… well… you know."

"Yeah, well… there will be other title shots and I'll have another chance to redeem myself in my home town." John said. There was still a twinge of disappointment in his voice, but it's not as bad as before.

"I just wish there was more I could do to cheer you up." I say sincerely.

And I mean it. I wish I could turn back the clock and tell John not to do the German suplex off the turnbuckle, then he'd have his hometown win. We stand there in an awkward silence for a few seconds and then John comes over to me and wraps me up in a tight hug. One of his strong arms snakes around my waist as the other goes around my neck, my arms mimic his and we're in a warm embrace as he pats me on the back. A few minutes pass and I feel his hands go from patting my back to rubbing it slowly before pulling me against his body even closer. I feel his head rest on my shoulder and I realize that this hug was going from "thanks, buddy" to "thanks, baby". I can feel his warm breath on my neck and I can tell his lips are dangerously close to my ear because his soft breathing… oh, my God it's turning me on. His chest is moving a little faster with each breath and as my head nestles into the crook of his neck, I can feel his pulse. Oh, it's beating so fast and I'm sure mine is, too. I feel his arms loosening a bit and his head's moving off of my shoulder. Mine lifts from his shoulder and we're now looking into each other's eyes. I don't think I could come up with a name for the shade of blue his eyes are; at least not one that can do them justice. As I'm wrestling with an adequate name, his head ever so slowly moves closer to mine. Now, I'm sure my heart's racing at the speed of light because I'm feeling a little light headed. His eyes close slightly and his lips gently meet mine in what I can only describe as heaven. Oh, wow; lemme tell you, his lips are so soft. Our kiss is so… I dunno how to describe it; it's tender, passionate, sweet, hot, electrifying... it's a few more adjectives, but I can't think straight at the moment. He's just an amazing kisser. After what seemed like an eternity, and I personally wish it was, we broke the kiss and just gaze into each other's eyes again. This time, John's cheeks are flushed and I think mine are, too. Even though it wasn't "hot and heavy"… shit… we were still rendered breathless.

"Wow." He barely managed to say.

"Yeah… wow." I parrot back with a smile. Wow? I just had the most mind-blowing kiss EVER and all I can say is "WOW"? Come to think of it… "wow" pretty much sums it up. Now, what do I say? What CAN I say? "I… it's getting late. I think I better go get some rest." Translation: I need to go to my room and cool off because if I don't... oh, boy!

"Yeah, we're supposed to be Bridgeport for Raw tomorrow night and you debut." John said. He's subconsciously pursing his lips… stop it, damn it. You were cute before, now you're going into "smoking hot" territory!

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, hot damn! She's never been kissed before? Her lips are telling me something different. Maybe she's been practicing on a teddy bear all this time. If she has, that is one lucky bear! You know how you can feel sparks with someone? Well, I feel like lightning just hit me and this is one time I want it to strike twice! She's licking her lips and… she is driving me crazy! If she doesn't stop, I'm gonna forget I'm a gentleman. As much as I don't want to send her out, I'm gonna have to before we do something we're both gonna regret.

"So, I'll see you in the morning for checkout?" I ask.

"Um, yeah. I just hope Zack is sitting close. I might need his stories. We're flying again, right?" She asks me.

"Yeah." I tell her. I see her playfully stick her tongue out in disgust and I chuckle. That's what I like about her. She can be hot one minute and silly the next.

"I guess I'll have to suck it up." She nodded. "Okay, well… good night."

"Good night." I say. Gwen quickly turns and leaves my room and the next thing I hear is a confused "arf". I can't help but laugh… **THE GIRL LEFT HER DOG!** I look down at poor Thunder and I say… "Let's see how long it takes for Gwen to notice she left you." I look at the clock on my wall, and sure enough… Gwen comes back with a knowing smirk seconds later.

"Not one word."

"I wasn't going to say a thing." I say as I raise my hands up in surrender. I so wanted to say something else but I just flash a stupid looking grin at her.

"Shut up." She snaps back playfully. She comes over and picks up her fur baby before looking at me. "It coulda happened to anybody."

"But it happened to-"

"AH AH! Don't go there." She chuckles. I walk her to the door and I'm trying my damndest to not kiss her again. "See you in the morning."

"Night." I smile. She leaves my room and I close the door behind her. I lean against the door and my head falls back causing a dull knock. I feel like I'm coming down off a high and then a scent hits my nose. It smells nice. Something told me to sniff my shirt, so I do. I pull the collar to my nose and inhale deeply. It's Gwen's perfume. It's not exactly flowery, but it's intoxicating. The scent alone is making me feel dizzy again, but in a good way. I could definitely get used to feeling like this. I'll say this much… she wanted to cheer me up... she succeeded.

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

I get to my room and gently set Thunder down on the ground before I flop backwards on my bed. Oh, man! What a way to cap off a night. I'm floating on air when Thunder barks at me. I sit up and he's sitting on his haunches with this weird look and I know what's on his mind.

"Look, I'm sorry I left you like that but… that kiss… I just lost my head. It was so… wow. I mean, you understand, right?" Thunder just gave me an "arf" and I just smirk at him. "Oh, shut up. You're not even a year old." I just laugh as I change into my pajamas. I'm about to toss my shirt into my hamper when I give it a sniff. Some of John's cologne rubbed off onto the fabric. Man, is there anything NOT sexy about him? Oh, yeah… his dancing. Alicia showed me a clip of him on Jimmy Kimmel Live and… it was just painful to watch. But, I'm working on that. It was funny, though and he looked like he was having fun. I have to remind him of that on our next lesson. And I know, I'm supposed to be resting because we're have to be in Bridgeport tomorrow, but the last thing on my mind is sleeping. Well, I am happy I could take his mind off of tonight, if only for a few hours.

* * *

-Bridgeport Connecticut: Webster Bank Arena-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, the flight wasn't so bad this time. I guess because I'm still on my high from last night. In any rate, we're at the arena and I have butterflies. This is my first night as an official announcer. Last time, I was a fan; this time, I'm an employee. An employee who could screw up and make the WWE and everyone in it look like idiots... I can't do this! I'm having a panic attack and I see Sheamus walk up to me. I've only met him a couple of times but he's a pretty decent guy.

"Are you okay, lass? You look a bit green around the gills." He says with his thick Irish brogue.

"I'm just having a good old fashioned panic attack." I say jokingly, but I'm dead serious. Sheamus just flashes me a smile.

"Why? You were a hit with your friend the last time."

"Yeah, but I was just a fan, then. Now, I'm in a position to make everyone look like fools with one slip of the tongue. So, yeah; I'm hella nervous."

"You'll do just fine. The key is to not think of it as a job. Think about how much fun you had last time. You had a blast, right?" Sheamus asks me.

"Yeah, I did."

"Well, focus on that. I heard you have a few promos in the first hour before you officially debut."

Thank goodness I memorized what I was supposed to do. I've never done any acting, well… last time I was on stage, I played the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come in our 10th grade presentation of **A Christmas Carol**. Okay, I had no lines and I held a bony skeleton hand to point with but it was still the extent of my acting chops.

"Yeah. And the last acting I did, I didn't have any lines." I confessed.

"Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, eh?" He smirked and my eyes bugged out.

"How'd you know?"

"Join the club, lass." Sheamus chuckled. "But don't sweat it. I'm sure you'll do fine. Just bring some of what you brought two weeks ago and you'll be a hit." He had a point. I'm concentrating on the job aspect and 'm worrying myself sick. I need to think about the fun.

"Thanks. I needed that pep talk." I said to Sheamus. "Oh, and good luck tonight."

"Break a leg, Lass. Maybe you can join a few of us later tonight and celebrate."

"Sounds like fun. See y'all then." We both wave to each other and as soon as Sheamus leaves, Stephanie McMahon comes up.

"Gwen, I'm glad I caught you. We need you in creative."

I look at my watch and it's about a half hour until RAW starts. Is there a change in plans?

"There's nothing wrong, is there?" I ask.

"Oh, no. We just wanted to go over a few things before you debut at the top of the second hour." Stephanie explains. "Right now, your being here is kinda hush hush. Only the ones my dad went to about hiring you know about this and they were sworn to secrecy. We're gonna go over the promos you're gonna be in for the first hour. JBL and Jim Ross are going to join Michael Cole first and then you're gonna come in and sit in between them."

"I know about JBL's commentating. And I watched Jim Ross when he was with WCW. I just hope I can keep up." I say.

"With your wit, I think you're gonna fit in just fine. Just be yourself like last time." Stephanie smirks. "Come on. We better hurry."

"Oh, I do have a question. Is what I have on okay or do I need to change?" I had on a black Jerry Lawler t-shirt and with a pink Breast Cancer ribbon pin clipped on and jeans with sneakers. Just to look semi-professional, I had on a red fitted suit jacket.

"No, you look fine. I don't want to add any pressure on you, but you're making history tonight."

Okay, if she didn't want to add any pressure… **WHY THE FUCK DID SHE GO AND SAY THAT?!**

"Not helping." I chuckle.

"Sorry." She smiles as we walk down to her creative team. Once there I'm introduced to everyone and Cole's there. "We meet again." I'm half expecting the guy to be nasty to me, especially considering what happened 2 weeks ago. But, to my surprise… and relief, he shakes my hand.

"Welcome to the team." He smiles.

"Okay, before we continue, I just wanted to say I'm really REALLY sorry about last time and kudos for what you did for Jerry."

"Thank you and it's alright. Let's just start over. No hard feelings?" Cole asked me.

"No hard feelings. Can I say, and I mean this in the nicest possible way, you make a very convincing asshole?" Everyone there laughs and so does Cole.

"I'll take that as a compliment." He chuckles.

"So, I'm gonna be sitting in with three of you."

"We don't bite. Besides, it'll be a nice change of pace to have a woman in the team."

"Okay, now Gwen? Your promos are going to start after the first commercial." Stephanie told me. "Basically you're gonna be meeting superstars and Divas throughout. I won't tell you who because we think it'll make it more… organic."

Okay, so I might be ambushed by some of those guys I left a less than favorable impression on. Perfect. Well, glad I have on sneakers. You can't kick ass in high heels.

"Wait… I just realized… I don't have any lines."

"Well, that's the thing. You seem to think quick on your feet so we're just going to let you ad lib and everyone else will work around that."

Great. As if I don't have enough pressure on me. Just breathe, girl. Think of the fun.

"You'll do fine. I'm sure of it." Stephanie smiles. "Oh, we do have a question. Do you have anything we can use for your entrance music?"

Wow! I'm gonna have entrance music? Sweet! And I have just the song to use… that is IF Stephanie is okay with my idea.

"Well… I have something but I was wondering if…"

"If what?" Stephanie asked.

"Well, you said I could be me, right? Well, I love to dance and if I'm gonna have an entrance theme, I kinda wanna dance. It's not gonna be anything raunchy or… hoochie. It's just gonna be a short hip-hop deal and down the ramp I go." My stomach is doing flip-flops and I'm not even sure she's gonna go for it. I can see her mulling over it and she's about to give me either a yes or no.

"As long as it's not gonna be anything distasteful and kept PG, I don't see why not." She smiles. SWEET! Tonight is gonna rock! I give them the song I want to use and Stephanie taps me on the shoulder.

"Well, the show's about to start. I'll have one of the directors take you to your first mark. Oh, you might wanna put that jacket out of sight somewhere. Can't tip anyone off too soon." She smirked.

"Good point."

Okay, so the director takes me to my first mark and they don't even tell me who's going to be in the promos with me. Tonight's just full of surprises. I'll just have to roll with the punches… and hope I don't have to throw any.

* * *

-RAW: First Hour-

The show starts with Paul Heyman talking about the controversial ending of last night's main event with two angles of the final pin showing both wrestlers' shoulders down. After John, Punk and Alberto Do Over invade the ring, AJ comes out to announce a super main event for the night. It was going to be Albert Do Over and C.M. Punk against Sheamus and John Cena. The stipulation was whoever won would be guaranteed a rematch for the title. Of course, I want John and Sheamus to win because Alberto's had too many chances and he STILL can't beat Sheamus. After that announcement, I'm at my mark for my first promo and I still don't know who I'm gonna see. I'm just walking around and here comes Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio on their way to the ring.

"Hola, es bueno volver a verte." Sin Cara said to me. Okay, my Spanish is severely lacking so I'm just gonna take a wild stab in the dark.

"It's good seeing you both, too." I answer. Judging by the smile on Rey's face, I'm guessing I said the right thing. Thank goodness.

"Couldn't stay away, huh?" Rey chuckled.

"What can I say? I tried to get out, but y'all pull me back in." I smirk. "Anyway, good luck in your match and it's about time you two were a tag team."

"Gracias. Esperamos que te diviertas aquí, esta noche." Sin Cara said. Okay, think of something… anything.

"Uh… I don't have my Rosetta Stone with me so, could you translate, por favor?"

"You do speak a little Spanish." Rey smiled.

"VERY little." I smirk.

"Well, he said thanks and we hope you have a lot of fun here, tonight."

"I think I will. Anyway, Buena suerte."

"¡Muy bueno!" The Faceless One nodded. Both he and Rey go to the ring and I smile. Okay, so far so good. Now I prepare for my next one and, I'll betcha it's a heel.

* * *

I watched the match with Rey and Sin Cara and they killed it against Primo and Epico… then the Punk Ass Playas had to stick their noses into it. Jackasses! Anyway, I'm at my next mark and, again, NO idea who's coming. I get ready for it to be a heel and I was right. And it's a heel I had words with before. I see Eve walking up with that gaudy Diva's Championship. The look on her face tells me she remembers our last conversation. Good, because if she's gonna mouth off at me, she's gonna get more of the same and it's gonna be hard for me to keep that PG… but I will try.

"Great. It seems they're letting anyone backstage nowadays. What are you doing here?"

"The backstroke. What does it look like I'm doing? And anyway, what I'm doing here is none of your business." I shot back. Eve has this sneer on her face she tried to get up in mine.

"Do you know who I am, you little nobody?"

"Enlighten me."

"I'm the Divas Champion and I'm also Booker T's assistant on Smackdown and if you know what's good for you, you'll keep out of my way." And she's waving her finger in my face just millimeters from the tip of my nose.

"And if **you** know what's good for **you**, you'll get that stank finger out my face before I break it off at the elbow!" I can't hear, but I have a feeling the crowd's going nuts.

"Why you little-"

"No, you had your chance to talk. This is my time!" I snarl. "I don't care if you're the Divas champ, Booker T's assistant or whatever else you think you are. You can take your stuck up, high saditty attitude and stick it where the sun don't shine! And don't ever step to me like that again. This girl with glasses… can also kick asses. Now, I've got better things to do so, see ya!" I push my glasses up and walk away. Eve just snorts and walks to the ring. Guess I told her.

* * *

It's fun watching Raw on the monitors backstage. I get to see the crowd reactions and hear Cole and the guys talk about everything going on… including me which is still a rush. Eve won her match… the bitch. She's gonna get what's coming to her and when she does… I want a front row seat. There was a match with Brodus Clay going against Dolph Ziggler and Brodus won. Of course, I was jamming to the ring music. I can just see Dee's reaction because I KNOW she's TiVo'ing this! I'm now at my third mark and I have no idea who it's gonna be this time. I look up and I see the Miz walking my way with the Intercontinental belt on his left shoulder. He has this smirk on his face I wanna knock off so bad.

"So, back again? What brings you here this time?" He asks me.

"Same as last time. I was invited."

"Look, I'm gonna cut to the chase. I didn't appreciate your little stunt two weeks ago. You actually showed me up and nobody shows up the Miz. You wanna know why?" And here comes the catchphrase… but I got something for him. **"BECAUSE I'M THE MIZ AND I-"**

**"TALK TOO MUCH!"** I finish. "Look, this is only a three hour program. Don't you have something to do… that's far away from me?"

"Really? Really? Really?" Miz kept asking me. Ugh, if there ever was a catchphrase that needed to retire.

"That's REALLY starting to get old. You sound like a skipping cd." I shake my head because I think I feel a headache coming on. "Look, I have things to do. How about you ask someone who cares? I gotta go." I walk away with a "yyyyyyeah" look on my face and Miz goes to the ring for the debut of MizTV. Talk about something that needs to be cancelled.

* * *

I loved the debut of MizTV. Okay, maybe not so much the debut, but the fact that Ryback basically "demolished" the set. That dude is an animal! Cole and the others show a Tout with Jerry in recovery. Thank goodness he's okay and thank God Cole was there to alert the medics about him when he did. I know the doc saved Jerry's life, but I still say Michael Cole had a hand in it, too. He deserves major props. Anyway, it's getting close to my debut and I have one more promo to do… and one more surprise superstar. I'm at my last mark and guess who walks up. He's about 6'1", gorgeous blue eyes and… one word-dimples.

"Hey, how's it going, hero?" John smirks as he walks up to me. I should have known. We shake hands and he pulls me into a quick, friendly hug. "We just keep running into each other."

"Hey, John." I say. "It's going good. Just taking in the scenery."

"Is that so? Well, I'd be happy to give you a tour, if you want." He winks at me. I let out a chuckle and decided to mess with him a bit.

"Man, I've only been here an hour and you're already trying to mack on me. Boy, you work fast!" I shake my head in jest.

"I'm hurt. I'm here offering a friendly gesture and you're accusing me of coming on to you." John certainly knows how to sell it. "But if I was coming on to you, would I have a shot?" He asked with a grin and I can't help but laugh.

"I can honestly say, with those dimples, you'd definitely get your foot in the door." I smile.

"Nice. So, word is you were invited to come back. How come?"

I give John a little smirk.

"You're about to find out." And this time, I wink at him before I leave. What I don't know is John's checking out my ass… again. Okay, girl. There's gonna be a promo with Punk and Paul Heyman and then… showtime.

It's the top of the second hour and I'm getting ready to come out.

"Welcome back to Monday Night Raw and, gentlemen, I just received word that we're about to be joined by a new member of the announce team." Cole said.

"Really? Well, I'll take just about anyone over you two." JBL sneered.

"I resent that. Now, try not to give this person a hard time." Jim Ross cajoled. "I wonder who it is."

That's my cue and here comes my music!

**_Music make you lose control! Music make you lose control!_**

I come out doing my hip hop dance and the crowd goes nuts. I guess they remember me. I come down the ramp and high five a few people before I head over to the announce table.

"WHOA! I don't believe this!" Cole said with excitement. "Gentlemen, I'm not sure if you know who this lady is!"

"Who doesn't? " JBL said as I come down. They all stand and Jim moves out to let me in.

"Evening, boys!" I say as I sit down.

"JBL, Jim, and pretty much anyone who's been living under a rock the past couple of weeks, I'd like to introduce you to Miss Gwen Turner." Cole introduced me to the two legends and I shake their hands. Jim Ross was first.

"This is an honor. I remember watching you during your WCW days." I say to JR.

"Well, thank you. You seem to have made quite a name for yourself, as well." He smiled and tipped his Stetson like a true cowboy.

"I wouldn't go that far." I smile.

"I would. You saved a guy's life and not just any guy. It's John Cena." JBL said. "And on top of that, having you here beats looking at those two for the next couple of hours."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I smirk. Like the last time I was there, I put on my headsets and settled myself in for my first official night of commentating. I hear Santino's music play and how can you not smile when this guy comes out power walking?

"Excuse me! I said excuse me!" Vicki shrieks.

"Oh, please. You're excused. Do everyone a favor and take up sign language!" I grumble.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Please welcome Mr. Money In The Bank-Dolph Ziggler!"

His music hit and he does that stupid move… again. Please stop. Anyway, JBL's talking about how talented he is and how being paired with Vicki is the best thing that can happen to him. Riiiiiiight.

"If he's so great, why does he need Vicki at all?" I ask plainly. "He has that contract he won; great; but he's just sitting on it. If Vicki's such a great asset, she should be encouraging him to cash it in as soon as possible. He keeps stalling like he is, that thing's gonna lapse and, poof… bye bye title shot. And his indecision isn't helping things any. Pull the trigger, man!"

"Are you kidding me? She's like any great coach. She's there to push Dolph to his full potential!" JBL says to me.

"Yeah, well right now, she looks like the guy holding his girlfriend's purse at the mall." I shot back. Then Santino tries to go for the Cobra… but it's missing. I look over and Vicki has the snake sock in her hands and taunting Santino with it. The thing's dangling in Vicki's hand right in front of Santino. Oh, the things I could say about that right now.

"Too easy." I say. Unfortunately, thanks to the distraction, Dolph capitalizes and gets the pin. "Well, it's not the first time a guy's snake got him in trouble and I'm sure it won't be the last." Then I see Vicki step into the ring and stuff the cobra in Santino's mouth. Okay, one, that's gross because you have no idea where it's been and two… again… TOO EASY! I know this is a PG show, but the things going through my mind after watching this match are NC-17 at LEAST! Now they cut to Daniel Bryan and Kane shouting **"I'M THE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!"** Oh, brother.

"And coming up next, it's the Punch and Judy of the WWE! Kane and Daniel Bryan will defend their tag team championships in a Night of Champions rematch against Kofi Kingston and R-Truth." I say and we go to commercial. The four of us pull off our headsets and Jim and JBL let out their laughter they've been holding in.

"Okay, Cole told me about the last time you were on… but you're pretty good." JBL chuckled.

"Is that why you're laughing?" I ask confused.

"No… it's that 'too easy' thing. You weren't the only one thinking it." Jim laughed.

"That and the 'Punch and Judy' line. I don't even want to think about which one's which." Cole snickered.

I take a moment to think about that and… I just hung my head.

"Okay, that was just a bad image." I chuckle.

"You just come up with that stuff on the fly, don't you?" JBL asked me.

"I try. I mean if something's on my mind, I'm gonna say it." I reply. We then get the signal that we were coming back from commercial in a few minutes.

"Well, keep it up." Jim nodded and we put our headsets back on. Now, they cut to the scene with Wade Barrett telling everyone that he's "open for business" and that he was gonna let one lucky superstar "sample the product". Uh huh.

"And we're back live on Monday Night Raw and guys, and Gwen… you gotta wonder who's gonna be the one to sample the product here tonight." Cole asked us.

"Main thing is, are we gonna see the product, Michael?" JBL asked back.

"Am I the only one that thinks that just sounds so wrong?" I chuckle.

Then they talk about great wrestlers that came from the U.K. like the British Bulldogs and William Regal.

"Gwen, you've had a chance to meet some of the superstars. What do you think about Wade Barrett?" Cole asks me.

"I've never had the chance to meet him personally but I've seen him in action a few times. You talk about tough; you go bare knuckle boxing against anyone, you're pretty tough."

Then Justin Gabriel's music hits and this is my first time seeing him, too. My first impression… great hair. He goes into this Kung Fu eagle pose and I already know this guy has a background in martial arts.

"What are your impressions of Justin Gabriel?" Jim Ross asked me. Man, I'm earning my keep tonight.

"This is gonna be interesting. I mean, if anyone knows how Wade operates, it's Justin and vice versa. Wade was the commanding officer of the Nexus and Justin was in charge of the air assaults. He's a high flyer, no doubt; but he's going against a guy who always has a trick up his sleeve. If he wants to win here, he can't let Wade mount any kind of an attack."

As the match goes on it flip flops between Justin and Wade and I see Wade go for a short clothesline. He brings back his right hand and WHAM! That punch nearly takes Justin's head off. I mean his hair almost flew off the impact was so hard! Wade gets the pin and, I hate to admit it, it was a good match. After the next commercial, they have a promo about Subway's birthday and various superstars come in and Jared gives them footlong sandwiches. Man! Why couldn't they wait a bit longer? I love Subway's Big Philly Cheesesteak! I could go for one right now, actually. The funniest part was when Ryback showed up. Jared gave him a sub and Ryback just took another before leaving. Uh… he can have as many as he wants. They then go to a promo with Sheamus and John talking about how they can't just win and how they needed to make a statement considering how that match would guarantee a rematch for whoever wins. Sheamus… that guy… he's not worried and he talks about toasting the Jewish New year, Jerry's recovery and the Mexican holiday. Mexican Holiday? Okay… if there's one thing Irishmen love more than fighting… it's partying! Even John thinks Sheamus has a couple of screws loose. After a promo of Daniel Bryan screaming to anyone who'd listen about HIM being the tag team champions and a clip about Jerry flying home with Dr. Michael Sampson who saved his life, we come back to call the tag team rematch. Kofi Kingston's music plays and… okay, so I don't get up and dance this time but I do still jam to the music.

"You're just grooving, ain't ya?" JBL chuckled.

"I can't help it. I hear music and I just go with it!" I smirk.

"Do you understand the words?" Jim asks.

"Absolutely NOT!" I laugh. "But it's not about the words. It's about the music. If it was about the lyrics, I'd be so lost All I understand out of the song is S.O.S. Don't ask me what the rest is because I couldn't tell ya."

"Well, the former tag team champions have invoked their rematch clause because of what happened last night at Night of Champions." Cole addressed. "Say what you want, JBL, but the anger management worked wonders. Kane and Daniel Bryan are now the tag team champions."

"Anger management had NOTHING to do with it! They won because of talent." JBL shot back.

Kane and Daniel come out next and seeing all that fire up close… wow. I didn't know whether to break out a fire extinguisher or a pack of hot dogs. They talk about all the tweets that were going around about them winning last night.

"They're the oddest couple since Lyle Lovett and Julia Roberts." JBL compared.

"I'm gonna have to agree with you there, JBL." I say. Even I couldn't come up with a better comparison. "That's just like… there's gotta be otherworldly forces at work." Before the match, Kane and Daniel argue… again and the crowd chants "YES YES YES" which makes Daniel Bryan even MORE irate. "Even Susan Powter can't stop this insanity."

"And I'm gonna have to agree with you, now." JBL chimed in.

The match progresses and it's just one crazy thing after another until it ends with Daniel hitting the No-lock on R-Truth making him tap. They retain the titles and Daniel holds up BOTH titles. Kane snatches them and HE holds them up. Then Daniel asks for a hug… really? Well, apparently, Kane feels bad and they do hug… and Daniel manages to take one of the belts and they argue… again! Come on! Kindergartners act more mature.

"Man, if Sigmund Freud were alive today, he'd either have a field day with these two or quit his practice." I say.

"I'd say he'd quit after five minutes of trying to analyze these guys." Jim Ross added.

"Five MINUTES? That's being optimistic." I retort.

"In any rate, they are still your tag team champions!" Cole added.

(A/N: Okay there are a couple of other matches… but who cares? :p I'm gonna skip right to the main event. )

After we come back from commercial, it's time for the main event and Sheamus comes out with his belt held high. He's really a cool guy, but I'm waiting on someone else to enter. His music plays and here comes the leader of the Cenation in his new pink gear. He runs to the ring at full speed and slides in. After bouncing off the ropes and throwing his hat into the crowd, John walks over to the side of the ring where we are and he shoots me a wink and a smile. Oh, my God! He's so trying to make me the center of some weird gossip.

"Well, well, well! What's going on here?" JBL smirks.

"There's nothing going on. He just likes embarrassing me." I try to hide my head, but it doesn't work.

"I dunno. I think Cena's sweet on you." JR chuckles. "You sure there's nothing going on?"

"That's nothing. He blew her a kiss the last time she was here." Cole grinned as he dimed me out. The bastard.

"Now, I didn't know all that was going on!" JBL chuckled.

"Y'all are just trying to make something… ladies and gentlemen… the whole thing about men gossiping more than women is **TOTALLY TRUE**! I'm sitting next to irrefutable proof!" I shoot John a playful glare before things turn over to Ricardo who's still sporting a neck brace. He introduces Alberto Do Over and then Cult of Personality comes on. Paul and Punk come down the ramp and when he gets to the ring, he holds up the belt for what seems like forever.

"Um… an Emmy award! A lighthouse! Rocky! Those card girls at boxing matches!" I rattle off.

"What in the world are you talking about?" JBL asks me.

"He's just standing there like a statue and wasting everyone's time. I'm just doing something constructive and playing charades. Anything's better than looking at him air out his armpits."

We cut to commercial and Cole's just trying to keep from laughing.

"Okay… that was good." JBL laughs.

"I'm glad we cut to commercial because I don't think Cole would have lasted any longer." Jim said as he looked over at poor Cole. He tries to talk but it just comes out at a loud laugh.

"Well, that's what he looks like." I say to them.

They signal us that the commercial's over and Punk is in the ring with John.

"Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Punk FINALLY put his arms down. Tout it out, people!" I say.

Punk and Cena are in the ring first, but no sooner do they ring the bell that Punk lives up to his name and tags in Alberto Do Over before going to consult with Paul.

"You gotta believe that all four of these men are sore from last night's action!" JR calls.

"Either way, it's clear Punk wants nothing to do with John Cena after last night." Cole observes.

"So that's your professional opinion that C.M. Punk wants no part of John Cena." JBL asked Cole.

"Yes, it is." Cole said.

"Yeah, but you forget, the ones who really need to score pin falls are Cena and Alberto since they're the ones who are fighting for rematches. Punk and Sheamus' goal is to make sure that doesn't happen so literally all four guys are fighting with each other AND against each other." I observe.

"That is a very good point, little lady." JBL nodded.

The match goes on and John scores a controversial pin and the win. Punk's foot is on the rope but the ref doesn't see it. And the show ends with Punk complaining to the ref who looks new. Yeah, he might not have a job for much longer.

* * *

-End of RAW-

Anyway, we're all backstage after the show and I'm approached by Cole, JBL, Jim Ross and a few of the superstars applauding me.

"So… I did good?" I ask.

"Good? You did great!" I see Stephanie walking up and smiling. "You had the guys in creative cracking up."

"Us, too." Just then Justin walks up to me. He's cute and he's definitely got a look but I'm all about one guy. "We've never been introduced. Justin Gabriel-Capetown Werewolf at your service." He kisses my hand. Okay, cute, great hair and an accent. I bet the girls are busting his door down.

"Nice meeting you, finally and I can see how you got the nickname. You have sort of a Twilight vibe going with the hair and your whole look." I tell him.

"So you're a Twilight fan." He smiles.

"Actually, I hate Twilight. You just look like you could be a werewolf in that movie." I say truthfully with a smile. "Tough luck in your match, though."

"It's fine. I'll get another shot." He smiles at me.

"Hey, some of us are going out tonight." John said to me. "Why don't you come out with us? We can celebrate your debut."

"Okay, sounds like fun." I smile.

"Great. We can go back to the hotel and get ourselves ready." Sheamus nodded.

"Good because if we're going to a club, I need my dancing gear." I smirk.

"That's reason for me to come with you guys!" R-Truth laughed.

Okay, I see this is gonna be a party.

* * *

-Later at the club-

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, after we all got changed, we piled into our cars and went to the hottest spot in town, a night club called… get this… Evolution.

"I think I'm gonna like this place." He smirked.

"As if we didn't see that coming a mile away." Gwen jokes as we walk inside and the club is jumpin'! I look over at Gwen and I see her bobbing her head to the music already. She really is a slave to the rhythm. I'm tempted to go to the DJ and request a song she can dance to. After some mingling, we all find a table and hang out for a bit. Right now, it's me, Gwen, Randy, Rey, Sheamus, Layla, Kaitlyn, Miz and Punk at the table while everyone else is either dancing or trying to score some phone numbers.

"Man, tonight was off the hook! I still can't believe I'm a commentator!" Gwen said in disbelief.

"Well, believe it, lass. You just made history." Sheamus smiled.

"I'm glad you accepted. It's good to have a feminine touch at the announce table." Layla nodded.

"Thanks. I'm glad Mr. McMahon thought I had the chops for this." Gwen said back. She looked over at Miz and cringed a bit. "Sorry about what I said tonight… and two weeks ago."

"Don't sweat it." He smirked.

"It was funny, though." Rey chuckled.

"Well, let's get this party started. We're supposed to be toasting Gwen's successful debut." Kaitlyn laughed.

"She's right. Everyone drink- wait…" I look at Gwen and I see she doesn't have a drink in her hand. "Where's yours?"

"I didn't order anything yet." She said simply. She looks for a waitress and waves her over. "Miss, can I get a pepsi, please?"

"Of course." She smiled. A few minutes later, the girl came back with Gwen's pepsi and we all look at her weirdly because the rest of us, with the exception of Punk, either have scotch, a beer or some other kind of alcoholic drink. "What?"

"We should be asking you that." Randy smirked. "You too young to drink."

"I'm flattered, but I'm 32." Gwen reminded us with a chuckle. "I just don't drink."

"Another for the Straight Edge lifestyle!" Punk smiles widely.

"That's pretty cool. Weird, but cool." Miz nodded.

"I really don't see what's so weird about it." Gwen said with a shrug.

"We just don't see how you don't drink. Even I need a couple of shots every now and then." Randy said to her. "But, I'm curious. Why don't you drink liquor?"

By now, everyone, including myself, was taking a sip or a gulp of their drinks and that's when Gwen decides to answer Randy. This is where we get reminded of how blunt she can be. Watch.

"Because the stuff tastes like piss!"

EVERYONE, I mean EVERYONE spits their drink out and it's like a pod of dolphins clearing out their blowholes at Sea World. Spray went everywhere! Rey has his head on the table and pounding it with his fist and I can tell by his shoulders that he's laughing. So are me and the rest of the guys. The girls weren't as amused, though.

"Lovely." Layla said in a deadpan voice as she grabbed a napkin.

"Oh, gross! I mean, this is beyond gross!" Kaitlyn screamed. "'Say it, don't spray it' is just moot point right now!"

Gwen just grabs a napkin and wipes her face… and her glasses. Well, it was kinda her fault. She shouldn't have said what she said when she said it. Of course, Randy shouldn't have asked her that question, either.

"No fair!" Rey laughs. "You trying to get all of us to choke or something!?"

"I think one choking rescue is enough." Gwen laughs. "Okay, this would never happen again even if we set it up."

"I certainly hope not." Layla said as she wiped the last bit of liquor and spit from her face.

"Well, my drink's no good now." Gwen said slightly disappointed.

"Not a problem. Miss, another round of drinks over here." Randy called. The waitress brings over replacement drinks including new Pepsis for Gwen and Punk. I scoot over to Gwen and put my arm around her as I hold my beer.

"Alright, I think a toast is in order." I smirk as I hold up my bottle. Everyone follows suit and I begin. "Here's to Gwen on her successful RAW debut… and here's hoping for a long career."

"I'll drink to that!" Sheamus laughs.

"Here here!" We all drink and no more spit takes, thankfully. The night's young and who knows what can happen from here on out. All I know is if it works out like last night… the future's looking pretty bright.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 11**

Man! Her first night as an employee of the WWE and basically no hitches… so far. But you know things don't stay good for long. She's made some enemies and count on someone wanting backlash. As always, read, review… can't stress that enough… and pass it on! Till next time, PEACE!


	12. Just Maybe

Hey, guys! It's me and I'm back with another update! So, how was everyone's Halloween and Thanksgiving? Can you believe there's just a little more than one month left in the year? I'm hoping to keep this going into the New Year with everyone's help. I'm getting new reviewers, which is great! Thank you for that. But some of my reviewers that were there for chapter one have dropped off. Where are you guys? I hope you haven't abandoned me.

Anyway, sorry for taking so long with this update. I've been going through some personal stuff but things are going better. Hope you guys can forgive me.

Now, for my CENATION SHOUTOUT… to my newest reviewer: **CHELZWWEFAN**! Thanks for the review and support! Now, to take care of some BIDNESS! :p

Disclaimer: As usual, I own NOTHING associated with the WWE! I do own Gwen, Dee and Thunder and any and all UNFAMILIAR people and places. Now… ON WITH THE FIC!

* * *

**Last time…**

_"Alright, I think a toast is in order." I smirk as I hold up my bottle. Everyone follows suit and I begin. "Here's to Gwen on her successful RAW debut… and here's hoping for a long career."_

_"I'll drink to that!" Sheamus laughs._

_"Here here!" We all drink and no more spit takes, thankfully. The night's young and who knows what can happen from here on out. All I know is if it works out like last night… the future's looking pretty bright._

* * *

-Later that night-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

I'm back in my room after a wicked night on the town with some of the WWE Superstars. At the club, R-Truth challenged me to a dance-off we set it off! It ended in a draw thanks to the spectators not being able to choose between us, but I have a feeling a rematch is in our near future. He's got some moves; maybe we can bounce ideas off each other. I have some ideas already put down for John's debut but it never hurts to search for new inspiration. Also, I'm still coming off the high of an amazing couple of days! First off, John and I kiss. And what a kiss it was. It's definitely something to write in my journal about. And second, my debut as a RAW commentator was incredible and the best part… I'm getting PAID! Stephanie had just dropped off Thunder after puppy sitting for me tonight. I honestly think some of the Divas are jealous because they haven't had their turn yet. Anyway, I'm packing a few last minute items because we're heading out for Philadelphia to tape Smackdown. I'm about to zip up my suitcase when I get a text from John.

_"Hey. Meet me in Rm. 233. I need 2 talk 2 u, baby girl."_

"Hmm. I wonder what he wants to talk to me about." Usually when someone says "they need to talk", it's usually followed by a breakup. But since we've only dated once, I didn't think it was that so I shrugged it off. I look down at Thunder and shoot him a smile. "Wanna go see John before bed, boy?" When Thunder barked in agreement, I smirked and grabbed his leash. I left my room and went to room 233. I knocked on the door and there was John looking… well, it's hard to describe. The look on his face was a cross between pain and worry and that has me worried.

"Hey, Gwen. Hey, little man." He smiled. He bent down and petted Thunder behind his ears before I spoke.

"Hey. I got your text. What's up?"

John looked at me and, every once in a while, he'd flinch when he moved his right elbow.

"I got a call from Doc Sampson. Remember that suplex I gave Punk on Night of Champions?"

"From the top turnbuckle? Yeah, I remember." I say to him.

"Well, I went to Doc and had it checked out before you came to my room last night. Ever since then, my elbow's been bothering me." John told me. "I think tonight's match made it worse so I went back to see Doc to get it x-rayed before we went out."

"What did he find?" I ask. Yeah, I know injuries are part of the business, but somehow… it just seems worse when it happens to John. John looked distressed at what he was going to say next and that just made me worry even more. He let out a sigh and looked me right in the eye.

"He found bone chips in my elbow. He's already made arrangements for me to go to Alabama and see Dr. Andrews tomorrow."

"Wait… tomorrow?"

"Yup. I need a scope done to remove the chips before they cause any more damage. So… unfortunately, I won't be around for about a week while I get this done and go through rehab."

I can tell by his voice that he wasn't so bummed about getting the operation or being out of action for a week. He was upset for another reason and I have a feeling I know what it is.

"Youch. Lousy way to earn a vacation." I said trying to lighten things up. John gave a chuckle and I smiled a bit.

"Maybe, but it's still time off. Gotta look on the bright side, right?" He smiled.

I can see where he's coming from. I've heard about the schedule this guy keeps and it's beyond insane. He's the real "Mr. No Days Off"! Forget Darren!

"I guess you're right. It still sucks, though. I guess dance lessons are on hold until you heal." I sigh. Not having John around is gonna suck big time. I folded my arms and lip lips stuck out in a light pout. "I'm gonna be so fuckin' bored this week."

"Aww, you're missing me already?" He smirked and those dimples decide to make another appearance. "That's sweet."

Damnit! What is it about him that makes me melt? All he has to do is smile and I forget myself. I smile and then something crosses my mind. While he's gone for a week, I'm gonna be minus one "bodyguard". Fantastic! I guess John knew what I was thinking because he spoke again.

"Relax, you're gonna be fine by yourself."

"How can you be so sure?" I ask. I mean, yeah, I can take care of myself just fine. But, you gotta admit, it's nice having someone watch your back.

"I have my ways. Do you trust me?" He asked me.

He flashes me the most sincere smile and how can I not trust what he says. My heart's telling me to trust him and my head's telling me I'm falling too fast and I should be careful. Mental coin flip-heads, I listen to my head; tails, I listen to my heart. Okay, it's tails.

"I trust you." I smile back. "I just know this week won't be as much fun without you here." Am I falling for him? Okay, dumb question; I've already fallen for him. I'm still wondering if he feels the same way.

"Hey, I'm gonna be missing you like crazy while I'm laid up in rehab." He sighed with a smile. "But I'll text… well, as well as I can with one hand. I'll call, though." He chuckled.

I have a feeling if this guy was in full-body traction, he'd find a silver lining. If he can, so can I.

"Hey, be thankful you still have the use of your good arm." I smirk.

"Yeah, but one working arm can only do so much. I'm gonna need some help after I come back." He shrugs. "You know, I won't be able to dress myself with one arm… just the waist up! I can handle my pants!" He chuckles. "Of, course there's shoes and socks…"

"I-I get it." I smile. "If you need me for anything, I'm just a phone call away."

Okay, I'm thinking _"Why can't his roommate at the time help him with that?"_ That's my head talking. My heart is saying _"Who cares? He wants you near him! Go with it!"_

"I'll have to take you up on that." He smirks.

"So, do you need some help packing?"

"Nah, I have everything. Randy's gonna give me a hand because I have to catch a redeye out to Alabama. This means, unfortunately, I have to go in like 15 minutes." He said sadly.

"Oh…" I say with the same level of sadness. Man, I thought I'd be able to see him in the morning, but I guess that's shot to Hell.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

Man, why'd I have to get injured now!? The ink's barely dry on Gwen's new contract and I have to leave her. I finally have her with me all the time and I have to give her up. It's like giving you a bite of chocolate cake and saying you can't have any more for a week! Torture! I know she's worried about any retaliation from some of the Superstars she's made enemies of, but I got that covered. Now, she looks like a kid who had her doll taken away from her and it kills me. Well, I'm gonna make these next few minutes count. While I still have use of both my arms, I pull Gwen into a tight, warm embrace like back in my hotel room last night. If I'm gonna be away from Gwen for a week and without use of both my arms for even longer, I'm gonna get as much use out of them right now my memorizing how she feels in them. And she feels… right. There are other words to describe this feeling but "right"… just seems to fit. I get the urge to try kissing her again when I hear a knock on the door.

"Hey, John! We gotta go, man!"

Do I even need to say how lousy Randy is as a wingman again? I reluctantly let Gwen out of our hug and give Thunder another scratch behind the ears before I call out to my best friend.

"Okay, come on in." I grab my duffel bag as Randy walks in. When he sees Gwen and Thunder, he just smirks.

"Oh, if you want me to come back a little later…"

"Shut up, man!" I chuckle. He chuckles back because he knows Gwen isn't that kind of girl.

"Hey, Randy." She greets.

"Hey, Gwen." He pets Thunder who barks up at him cutely. "Came to say goodbye to John-Boy?"

"Not goodbye. More like 'see ya in a week'." She sighed.

"Hey, you've been without John before. This time won't be any different." Randy surmised.

"It is, kinda. Last time we said goodbye, I didn't think I'd be seeing him again." Gwen reasoned. She has a point.

"But you will. I'm just gonna be out for a week. I'll be back next Monday." I smile. "I'll probably have my arm in a sling, but I'll be back."

"And, in the meantime, we have your back." Randy said as he put his arm around her shoulder. "Actually, you'll be in safer hands since I'm a LOT more intimidating that John." He smirked.

"I dunno… John does have his moments." Gwen chuckles.

"Yeah… moments. I'm that way all the time." Randy smirked again.

Gwen looked kinda funny at him and crossed her arms.

"Even now?" She asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Now? Well, no. But that's only because Thunder's giving me the stink eye and he's scaring the crap outta me." He laughs. And her little dog just barks at him. Again, it's more cute than threatening. "Okay, we have to go like now before we miss your flight."

"Okay, just gimme a hand with this bag." I say to Randy. He grabs my rolling suitcase so I won't have to use my right arm and Thunder whimpers as the four of us walk out.

"I'll call you before the operation and after. I promise." I smile at Gwen.

"You better. I'm gonna be worried sick until you do." She said.

We gave each other one more hug before Randy and I leave. As I watch Gwen and Thunder go back to their room, I'm thinking about what she said. She'll be worried about me. Is that as a friend… or something more? I'm hoping the latter because what I'm feeling right now, especially after that kiss… it's a lot more than just friendship. I just hope she feels the same way.

* * *

-The next morning-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

We've checked out of the hotel and everyone's at the airport getting ready to board our planes for Philly. Thunder's having a fit in his carrier and I can't even imagine how he feels. Being stuck in a cramped little box for hours must suck; poor guy. I guess the little guy needs more time to get his air legs. Me, too, but some of the girls are sitting with me so at least I'll have company. And if that doesn't work, I have my trusty iPod. And if that doesn't work, I can always think of John. As I'm sitting and waiting for our flight to be called, Alicia and some of the girls came over.

"Hey, girl!" Alicia greeted. "So, how do you like your first week as a WWE employee?"

"I never knew it was so hectic." I admit. "But it's exciting. I could do without all the flying, but I guess there's nothing I can do about that; is there?"

"Not really. And don't forget, we don't just travel in the U.S. We go all over so you're gonna need a passport…" Layla reminded.

"And shots." Kaitlyn added.

"Shots!?" Shit!" I cringe. "I hate needles. That's why I don't have any ink or piercings."

"Now that you mention it… why don't you?" Kelly Kelly asked me. "You know all the cute earrings are pierced."

"I don't care. My philosophy is God gave me enough holes to deal with. I don't need to add on." The girls laughed and I wasn't done. I have my views about tattoos, as well. "And tats, what's the point of them? You get a tramp stamp of a cute little butterfly when you're young and by the time you're 80, it's turned into Mothra!"

The girls just fell out laughing, but I was serious. I could never see why people would just mutilate themselves like that. If you wanna look different, just wear weird clothes or something.

"You are a mess, chica!" Rosa giggled. "Come on. Our flight's about to board."

I nod and grab my bag and blow my fur baby a kiss before he gets loaded. Why couldn't this be one of those airlines where your pet can ride with you? Anyway, we board our plane and I remember the pack of gum John gave me before my first flight. NOW I know what it's for! Popping ears hurt! On the plane, I'm sitting with Kaitlyn, Layla, Alicia and Rosa and Kelly. We're talking about pretty much everything under the sun including anything I might need to know about the WWE and stuff like fashion. You know… typical girl stuff I know NOTHING about. After talking about the usually feminine junk, our conversation turns to a certain blue-eyed rapper.

"So… how are things with you and John?" Alicia asked with a grin.

"They're fine." I say with a smile. I'm not about to kiss and tell. Well… not yet, anyway.

"Fine? Alicia walked in on you when you were about to kiss John after your first date…" Layla replied.

"Can we not revisit that, please?" She grumbled and we all chuckled.

"As I was saying… you were about kiss. No way things are just 'fine'." The British diva smirked.

"Well, they are." I just sit there in an awkward silence trying to think of something to tell them when my phone rings. I take it out of my pocket and it's a text from John.

_Hey, baby girl. I've landed in Alabama and on my way 2 Doc Andrews. I'll call you l8r before the scope and don't worry 'bout me. I'm a tough Marine. ;) TTYL. XOXOX_

As I'm reading the text, I'm trying to hide it from the girls, but Kaitlyn grabs my phone, reads it and she has this shit-eating grin on her face before she shows the others.

"Well, I think this text proves things are more than just 'fine'." She smirks at me.

After reading the text, all the girls around me give me this smug look that says "busted". Damn! John was right. Nothing stays a secret around here.

"Okay, you can't hide it anymore. Dish." Rosa chuckled. So much for keeping it close to the vest.

"Okay. Remember Night of Champions? Well, after John lost… he invited me to his room to play Mortal Kombat to help get his mind off of it."

"Oooo! You go, girl!" Alicia teased. "I knew there was something between you two!"

"Oh, knock it off. All we did was play XBOX and I was letting him win some. I guess I wanted to heal his ego some."

"Aww." They cooed.

"Well… he found me out. I thought he'd be upset about me letting him win so much… but he wasn't. He even thanked me." I still wasn't sure about telling the rest. I wasn't for kissing and telling but I think that's moot point. Something told me, these girls already put 2 and 2 together.

"Well, don't leave us hanging! What happened?" Kaitlyn urged.

I could feel a heat rising in my cheeks as I recounted that night over and over in my head. I'm still having a hard time believing it actually happened.

"Well, before I knew it, he pulled me into a hug. It was so warm, I didn't want to leave his arms." I let out a quiet sigh before I continued. "And then…"

"And then?" They all said in unison. I could tell they were waiting for me to say it.

"Then… he kissed me." I smiled and the girls squealed, but since they didn't want to cause a scene, it wasn't so loud.

"Oh, my God! That's amazing!" Kaitlyn, who was sitting next to me, hugged me. "We're so happy for you!"

"Really? I thought all the girls were after John." I said slightly surprised.

"Okay, we won't deny he's one of the hottest Superstars here." Layla admitted. "But we can see that he's clearly into you."

"Besides, the way he kept winking at you and blowing kisses those nights on RAW, a person would have to be totally clueless not to see it." Rosa chuckled.

"But the real point is you got your first kiss. And you can't do too much better than John Cena." Kelly smirked.

So now, I'm sitting there feeling pretty good about myself when Alicia brought up another point.

"So, what are you going to do with him out for a week?" She asked.

"To be honest… I have no idea." I admitted. "Other than the usual stuff, I'm basically free."

"Perfect! You can hang with us all week!" Rosa smiled.

"Sounds like fun." I smile. A week with the girls does sound like fun, but I can't stop thinking about John. Who knew two days could cause so much inner turmoil? I'm gonna go nuts this week.

-Philadelphia-

After a few hours of gabbing with girlfriends, we land in Philadelphia and I'm SO fighting the urge to go sightseeing. I have a bucket list a few miles long and I want to start checking things off. Eating an authentic Philly cheese steak is one of them. I hope we have some time to check a few things out, I know I have a photo shoot for my spot Official WWE site and after that… well, my schedule's kinda free. We check into the hotel and it looks like I'm rooming with Kaitlyn. We get to the room and I let Thunder out of his carrier. Needless to say, he's happy to stretch his legs.

"Awww, you don't like being in there, do you?" Kaitlyn asks as she picks up my dog and nuzzles his nose. Thunder responds by licking hers. "You are just too cute for words."

"Isn't he?" I smile.

"So, what do you have planned for today?" The two-tone locked Diva asked me.

"Well, I have a photo shoot in about an hour. After that, I guess I can work in a workout and I was hoping to do some sightseeing."

"We have to work in a girl's night!" She beamed.

"Definitely. OH! Speaking of girls… I need to call Dee! I haven't spoken to her since I signed my contract."

"How about we do that later tonight? We can hang out in your room after we tape Smackdown and call her up." Kaitlyn suggested. Sounds good. I can't wait to tell Dee the good news and ask what she thought of me being on t.v.

"Sounds like a plan. We can order in and I'm sure Thunder won't mind the company." As if on cue, my little man barked happily at the thought of being surrounded by the Divas again. He's a dog in every sense of the word. "Anyway, I have to get to my photo shoot. It shouldn't take too long. Maybe we can meet up to work out later?"

"Yeah. Just text me when you're done." Kaitlyn smiled as she handed me back my dog. Since basically everyone was gonna be busy doing one thing or another, I think I'm gonna take Thunder with me. He's pretty well behaved and I don't think too many people would mind.

-Later that day-

I'm at my first WWE photo shoot for my spot on the site and after I get my hair and makeup done, I stand in front of the backdrop. Right now, I have on a nice pink button-down blouse. Normally, I'd stay FAR away from this color, but since this is Breast Cancer Awareness month, I decided to show my support. With a fitted sports jacket, black jeans and some leather boots covered by the pants legs, I'm ready for my close up. It's kinda weird-years ago, I would avoid cameras like the plague… now, well, I'm still not crazy about them, but I'm getting used to them. I guess I need to be considering the line of work I'm in now. Anyway, I'm going through my shoot with Thunder off to the sides watching me, and someone walks in wearing a black leather jacket. He stands slightly behind the photographer and he looks familiar. His blonde hair's cut short but his facial hair was what rang a bell. My eyes bug out slightly when I finally figure it out. I couldn't believe that Edge was standing six feet in front of me.

"Looking good." He smirked as I finish up my shoot.

"Thanks." I walk over and Thunder comes over and sits next to my feet. "You're Edge. It's great to meet you." I shake his hand and he smiled at me.

"Likewise. So you're the one who saved our Golden Boy, eh?"

"Yeah." I smile and shrug.

"Hey, don't be so modest. You saved the life of one of, if not THE top superstar here. That's something to be proud of." He nodded.

"Thanks again. SO, I heard you were gonna be on Smackdown, tonight. Cool. Tough break on your retirement, though." I said sincerely.

"It's alright. I had a good run. Kinda wish it lasted a little bit longer, but I have no regrets." Edge replied. "I had a blast while I was here. So, how do you like working here so far?"

"It's great. Just been here a week, but I'm getting the hang of it."

"This is the WWE. Try NOT to get the hang of it because something's always changing." He smirked. Then my little dog sniffed his pants leg. "Hey, little fella." He smiled. He knelt down and scratched Thunder behind the ears making him yip. "He yours?"

"Yeah. His name's Thunder." Edge let out a chuckle.

"Why such a big name?"

"Well, when I adopted him, it was storming out so… Thunder." I shrug and grin.

"Hey, I'm just glad you weren't in avalanche country." He laughed and petted Thunder again before looking at me with a slight smirk. "I have something I wanna ask you and you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Okay…" I say to him a little apprehensively.

"Is there something going on with you and Cena?" He smirked. "I mean, both times you were on RAW, he flirted with you."

"I'm not sure. I think he was going through the motions." I say.

"Mmhmm. Well, in any rate, if he does show interest in you, I say go for it. He's a great guy."

"Thanks for the advice." I smile.

"Although… if it doesn't work out between you two…"

"Get outta here!" I laugh.

"Can't blame a guy for trying." He chuckled.

"Yeah, I'd rather not have Beth Phoenix Glam Slam me, thanks." I chuckle back. "It's good talking to you."

"Ditto. And keep up the good work. It's about time they put someone worth looking at on the announce table." Edge shot me another smirk before leaving the studio. I stand there in awe. Edge was one of my favorites in the 90's! I saw his debut and I knew this guy was gonna go places. The photographer said he was done with me and that he had a lot of shots to pick from for the site.

"Maybe we can take one of your little dog, there." He joked.

"Yeah, maybe. I'm not a Diva, though. I'm just an announcer." I say to him.

"Hey, everyone has their day. Crazier things have happened in this company." He chuckled.

"Tell me about it." I smile and said goodbye to everyone there and, of course, the ladies there had their Thunder time before we left. So, I go back to my hotel room and change into some workout clothes for the gym. Again I'm taking Thunder with me and I'm about to leave when my phone rings. I look at the number and smile when I see John's picture. I hit the button to accept and speak.

"Hey, John."

_"Hey, baby girl. How's Philly?"_

"Boring." I say truthfully and I hear him laugh.

_"Aw, come on. I don't believe that. I've been to Philly before and it's anything but boring."_ He chuckled. I can tell his dimples are popping just by the sound of his voice. Even over the phone, he makes me melt.

"Well, you're not here to share it with so, yeah… boring." I chuckle back. I'm not kidding. He's just makes anything… fun. The guy's silly and I know I'd have a much better time if I had those damn dimples to look at while I'm trying to do my best Adrian impression. Of course, He'd be Rocky. "I'm dealing, though. Just got done with my photo shoot for the website. What about you?"

_"I'm getting ready to have my scope done. See, I said I'd call you before it happened. I'm a man of my word."_

"So you are. I just wish you were here right now." I smile.

_"So do I, Gwen. So do I."_

I sit on my bed and talk to John for a good 15 minutes. I wish we had more time but I heard someone come into his room.

_"Hey, the doc's here. I have to go."_ He said and I can sense the sadness in his voice. _"I'll call you when I come out, okay?"_

"Alright."

_"I miss you."_

"I miss you, too."

_"Bye."_

"Bye." I sigh and hang up. I needed that. There's just something about his voice that seems so... calming. In any rate, I feel better about touring Philly now that I've spoken to John.

-Later that night: After Smackdown-

Well… that was entertaining. This week's show was… unpredictable. Well, I thought so, anyway. Clearly the highlight of the show was Kane and Daniel Bryan beating the tar out of all the tag teams with steel chairs. Some, I felt bad for. Some… who shall remain nameless… I was hoping they'd hit harder. I keep telling people; sometimes the best way to deal with a problem is to beat the holy Hell out of it! It worked for the Incredible Hulk! Anyway, after the taping, I head back to the hotel with Thunder and go over what I was going to do tomorrow since we were going to be here an extra day. Good. I'm not leaving here without eating a cheese steak from Pat's and Tony Luke's. A few minutes later, I heard a knock on the door.

"Who could be knocking now?" I ask myself. Then I remember Kaitlyn said she and some of the girls were gonna swing by. "Oh, yeah! Duh!" I shake my head in jest and open the door to Kaitlyn and some of the Divas I'd made friends with. "Hey, guys. Come on in."

"Hey!" They greeted and Thunder bounded over.

"Hey, little guy." Rosa picked him up and snuggled him closely.

"We brought the goods." Layla showed up with the usual munchies for a quote-unquote sleepover. Yeah, we're gonna be in the gym all day tomorrow; but it's worth it.

"So… how was your day?" Kelly asked me as she munched on some microwave popcorn.

"It was pretty good. My photo shoot went great plus I met Edge." I tell them. I had a Kit Kat on one hand and a Pepsi in the other. Alicia had brought Thunder a 6 piece McNuggets for him to snack on.

"Cool! Did he say anything to you?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Yeah, he thought I was doing a good job as commentator and he thought Thunder was cute." I smile.

"Well, who wouldn't?" Alicia chuckled as she petted my dog but she then looked at me and knew I was holding something back. "He said something else, didn't he? Come on; spill."

Ugh, am I that easy to read? I mean, really? I'd like to think I'm a closed book when it came to my emotions, but I guess not. I sigh and come clean.

"Well, apparently he noticed when John was flirting with me those two times I was at the announce table and he said if he shows any interest in me, I should go for it."

"I think he's absolutely right." Layla nodded. "And before you say otherwise, yes, he was totally flirting with you." She chuckled.

"Hey, when was the last time you spoke to Dee-Lo?" Rosa asked.

"Oh, thanks for reminding me. I was supposed to call her tonight." No sooner do I say so, here comes Thunder dragging my purse. The thing's bigger than he is, but I have to give him credit. He may be a little guy, but he has a lot of heart. "Good boy." I chuckle. I get my phone and dial my best friend's number and put it on speaker. Big mistake because this is what comes up when she picks up:

_"Horny Lorney's Whorehouse. Where the customer always cums first."_ I just hang my head down as everyone in the room busts out laughing.

"Oh, my… DEE!" I shout and laugh. "Finally thought of a new one, huh?"

_"I was due for a… wait, how come I hear… __**YOU HAVE ME ON SPEAKER AGAIN!?**__"_

"Well, how the Hell was I supposed to know you'd say THAT!?" I try to hold in my laughter. "What happened to the 'House of Beauty' one?"

_"My man just left to go get some food and girl, he put it on me so… yeah!"_ I can hear her smile from ear to ear. Of course my friends were cheering. This is where Dee and I are polar opposites. I just shake my head again just as Dee began speaking._ "So, what's up?"_

"It's been a while since we talked and I wanted to catch up."

_"Glad you did! I saw RAW last night and you rocked! I'm so glad you got this gig!"_ Dee replied.

"So am I… but that's not the only reason I called." I sigh with a smile and continue. "I have something to tell you."

_"The Punk Ass Playas tried to do something?! I'll get the first flight out to where you are and I'm bringing my Glock! Homeland Security can kiss my ass!"_

Everyone there, except for me, had this look that said "what the fuck!?" If they only knew just how crazy Dee really was.

"Wait… she has a Glock?" Kelly asked in shock.

"You'd be surprised. She packs more heat than our local police." I smirk. "But, Dee. Chill. They haven't done anything. That's not what I wanted to tell you, anyway. I know you saw Night of Champions, right?"

_"Yeah, John got robbed! Why didn't they restart the match like in SummerSlam?"_ Dee asked furiously. _"That was straight up bullshit! I like Punk, but HELL!"_

I completely agree, but that's beside the point right now. This is bigger than a screwed championship… in my eyes, at least.

"Well, after the Pay-per-view, John asked me to his room to play Mortal Kombat…"

_"What!? You're invited to his room and all you do is play video games?! You worry me, girl!"_ Dee sighed.

I sat there sucking my teeth in annoyance at my best friend.

"Do you wanna know what happened or not!?" I chuckled.

_"Okay, okay. It must be important if you called me. Go on."_ She relented.

"She has no appreciation for story build-up, does she?" Alicia asked.

"Nope." I laugh. "Well, we're playing and I'm letting him win and after a while, I'm telling him I wish there was more I could do to cheer him up. The next thing I know, he pulls me into a hug. I did not want to be let go at all."

I hear some silence that lasted a few minutes and then Dee speaks again.

_"Well… what happened next?"_

"Well… he kissed me." I grin.

_**"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH HHHHHHHHH!"**_ Everyone in the room had to plug their ears because she screamed so loud.

"Yeah, a little louder, Dee! I don't think they heard you on **Mars!**"_ I said._

_"OMFG! You finally got your kiss! And with John Cena! I'm so happy for you!"_ She squealed. _"See I told you not to give up! Now, for the real details! What was it like?"_

"It was just a kiss!" I chuckled.

_"No, Gwen. When my Aunt Sophie comes to visit for Thanksgiving and I get a peck on the cheek, that's 'just a kiss'. You getting your first liplock with a guy you've been crushing on and you find out he's crushing back… that's more than a kiss. That's a fuckin' momentous occasion!"_

"She's got a point, chica." Rosa smiled.

"And since we have Dee on the line… I think we all want to know… what was it like?" Alicia asked and now everyone was looking at me. Even Thunder.

"I… I really don't know how to describe it." I say.

"Like this. Start from the beginning, go slow and don't skimp on the details." Kelly smirked.

I really wasn't comfortable with all their eyes on me so, I did the only thing I could think of… I closed my eyes. I could handle it better if I didn't actually SEE them watching me. My mind drifts back to that night and I began recounting the most amazing moment of my life.

"The hug was so warm. It was like being wrapped up in a large blanket but better." I began. I talked about how his hands gently rubbed my back and how his breath felt on my neck and Dee and the girls were just hanging on my every word. Of course, I couldn't tell; my eyes were closed the whole time. "Then, our hug loosened enough to where we were looking into each other's eyes. Even Crayola couldn't come up with a name for the shade of blue they were. After a few minutes, I notice him leaning in closer. My heart was beating so fast, I could actually hear it. But when his lips finally touched mine… I can't even describe how I felt. It was just, the most amazing kiss. It-it was soft, tender, passionate, sweet, electric… the only way I can accurately describe it is… WHOA!"

The air in the room was like any other slumber party-complete with girls squealing and cheering.

"Oh, wow! I'm happy… and slightly jealous. Most mostly happy!" Alicia said as she hugged me.

_"I told you he was into you!"_ Dee said over the phone. _"Oh, speaking of John, I heard he was going into surgery for his arm. Is that true?"_

"Yeah, it is. He's gonna be in Alabama for the next few days for rehab. He won't be back until next Monday." I say sadly and the girls go "awww".

_"Hey, I know he's missing you as much as you're missing him. But think about this; imagine the reunion."_ She chuckled.

I never thought about that. I smirk to myself and I hear Dee talking again.

_"Hey, I'd love to talk to you some more, girl, but I have work in the morning. Don't be such a stranger! Oh, and keep kicking ass on RAW!"_ Dee told me.

"Thanks, and keep a lookout for the website. I'll be on there soon." I smile.

_"Looking forward to it! Hometown girl makes good! I LOVE IT! I bet Mr. Hardmon's eating a shitload of crow for firing you now!"_ Dee said and I can tell she's smirking.

"I hope he is. His loss!" Kaitlyn agreed.

_"You got that right. Gwen, I have to tell you, since you left, the enrollment dropped big time. A lot quit because you weren't there teaching and some quit out of principle when they found out he fired you. Apparently you were more important at that studio than he liked to admit."_

"Good! It serves him right!" Kelly nodded.

"You were too good for his employ anyway." Layla added.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to get you to come back." Rosa chimed in.

"Even if he does, I'm not gonna crawl back to him. If it wasn't for the fact that I loved teaching the kids there and the fact I needed the job, I would have walked out a long time ago." I admitted.

_"Well, it was good talking to you guys again and, Alicia… the next time you see my girl and John about to kiss, just walk away!"_ Dee laughed.

"Not you, too!" Alicia groaned. "You're never gonna let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope!" We laughed.

_"Well, I'm gonna go for reals! Night, guys. Night, Thunder! Take care of mama!"_ Dee said. Thunder barked before we hung up. I can always count on Dee to keep me grounded. I look back at the others and I can't help having a smile on my face.

"I said it before and I'll say it again. Your friend is a trip!" Kaitlyn chuckled.

"And a half!" I smile. "Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without her." Layla was about to pop a DVD into my laptop when the phone rang again. This time, John's picture came up and the girls started teasing me.

"Gwen's man's calling. Maybe we should give them some privacy." Alicia smirked.

"No, you guys can chill out here. I'll take it in the other room." I chuckle as I stand up.

"Um… you know the whole privacy thing was a joke, right?" Rosa asked. "We didn't mean for you to get up and leave."

"Why? So you can eavesdrop?"

"Yeah!" They all say in stereo surround sound.

"Well, tough!" I laugh and go into my bedroom. I shut the door behind me and answer… finally. "Hey, sorry about taking so long. The girls are over to hang out and they wanted to listen in."

_"It's cool, baby girl."_ John said with a yawn. _"Sorry. I'm still feeling the effects of the anesthesia."_

"So, how'd the scope go?"

_"It went great. My arm now looks like a rotten banana, but it's fine. They got all the chips out."_ John laughed._ "Rehab's gonna be a bitch, though."_

"I can't even imagine. But you'll get through it. You've been through worse."

_"Yeah, neck surgery, getting stabbed… marriage to Liz…"_ John said.

"Okay, ouch!" I didn't want to ask him if his marriage to Liz was really that bad because it's personal so I changed the subject. "Is there any part of you that hasn't been poked and prodded? Okay, that came out wrong…" I can hear John laugh on the other end.

_"Thanks, I needed a good laugh."_ He said. _"But, I don't think so. So, how was your photo shoot? When will I get to see you on the site?"_

"The photographer said sometime this week. As early as tomorrow, in fact."

_"Sweet. Now I'll get to look at you while I'm stuck here in Rehab. Give me something to look forward to."_

"Are you ever not a charmer?"

_"Am I a charmer… or the one being charmed?"_ John asked me. He can be a hopeless romantic sometimes. Nothing wrong with that.

"Cut it out. You're making me blush."

_"Wish I could see it."_ John said. _"Hey, nobody tried messing with you, did they?"_

"Nope, surprisingly." I answer. "I did get to meet Edge during my shoot."

_"Yeah, he told me about that. I got off the phone with him just before I called you. He though you killed it last night on your debut."_

"He did?"

_"Yeah. He also said you make the announce table worth looking at."_ I can tell John's smirking by the tone of his voice.

"So what did you tell him?"

_"I told him you were spoken for."_

Spoken for? Does he mean... by him?

"Is that so?" I smirk. "Hmm, I wonder why you'd say that?"

_"What do you think?"_ He said back. _"Hey, I hate to let you go so soon, but I need to get some sleep."_

"Sleep? Didn't you just wake up?"

_"Hours ago. The shit they knock you out with is strong! No wonder women want to be sedated when they give birth. I can't imagine the alternative!"_

"Yeah, well. The big man upstairs only got it right once when he created the seahorse."

_"What do you mean?"_

"The **MALES** get pregnant." I chuckle. "I'd love for the men in this world to go through what they did on that episode of the Cosby show just once."

_**"I DON'T!"**_ John shouted. _"At least you girls have some room to work with. If guys got pregnant… it's be like pushing a watermelon through a pinhole!"_ I can hear John cringing through the phone and it is kinda funny. _"Thanks, now I'm in pain in a different area."_

I just laugh.

"Maybe I should let you go so you can recuperate." There was a pause before John spoke again, and his voice was so soft when he did.

_"I don't want to… not yet."_

I didn't want to either, to be perfectly honest. I wanted to stay on with him all night if I could, but I had company.

"I don't either, but I have company." I say.

_"Okay… maybe we can talk again later?"_

"Of course. How about tomorrow night?"

_"It's a date."_ We just listen to each other breathing for a couple of minutes until I hear a door open in the background._ "Uh oh. Nurse is here. I'll call you in the morning. I'll miss you."_

"I'll miss you, too. Good night."

_"Night."_ I then hear a sound that resembles a kiss before he hangs up. I smile to myself as I open my door. And like at the gym when I gave John his first dance lesson, the girls spilled into the room and were now in a heap on the floor. "Um… can I help you guys?"

The girls just look at each other hoping someone would come up with a viable reason for listening at my door.

"We were checking for termites?" Kaitlyn piped up making the others groan in annoyance.

"Termites? That's the best ya got?" I ask.

"Well, we were gonna do the whole Prize patrol thing but we thought that'd be stupid." Rosa said and then realized that the statement she just uttered wasn't exactly Harvard material.

"Okay, we were spying." Layla admitted.

"No shit." I say with a roll of my eyes. I shake my head at them and walk out to the living room. "And I'm not gonna tell you what was said over the phone… until after the movie and it better be a good one."

"I know you couldn't leave us hanging!" Kelly smiled. "We're women. We practically live on gossip!"

We start the movie and I do plan on telling them some of our conversation… but not all. As a woman, I need to keep some things a mystery. But what isn't such a mystery is how John feels about me. Maybe he does like me. Maybe he's the one I've been waiting for. Just maybe…

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

After talking to Gwen, I have a conversation with Vince and I have something planned for Gwen later this week. I know Vince is gonna let her know she has an appearance on the Chew this coming Friday and I kinda asked if I can do something extra special. I don't care. Just knowing I'm gonna see her and hold her again makes me want to work extra hard with my rehab. She just makes me feel… alive. Even Liz never made me feel like this. Maybe she's the one who's meant for me. Just maybe…

* * *

**END of CHAPTER 12**

I hope this was worth the wait! I'll be working on the next chapter as soon as possible. As usual, ready, review… can't stress that part enough and pass it on. I just might work on a Christmas one shot… who knows. Just hope that my muses feel like giving me some holiday inspiration! Till then, PEACE!


	13. Big Surprises in the Big Apple

Hey, guys; it's me and I'm back with a brand new chapter. I'm sorry that it's taking me so long to get this one out. There have been a lot of things going on in my life both physically and emotionally so I hope you guys can bear with me. I love the fact that I'm getting new reviewers to my story; I never thought it would get this big a following. I'm wondering where my older viewers are so and some of you guys since chapter one and I'm hoping you haven't forgotten about me. In any rate, I'm thinking about doing a one-shot or some kind of one-shot story involving John and Gwen and I'm thinking about whether or not to do a poll let you guys decide whether I should do it or not. But in the meantime, here is the long-awaited chapter 13 of your favorite story and mine. :-).

**Disclaimer**: My broke ass doesn't own anything related to the WWE or John Cena. I wish I did, though. All I own are Gwen, Dee Lo, Thunder and any and all UNFAMILIAR people and places. Now that I got that bit a business out of the way... **ON WITH THE FIC**!

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Man, last night was nuts. Since being on the road with John, I was missing Dee something awful so last night's girl's night was just what I needed. The girls left after our movie marathon and I went to bed a little bit later. I guess I should be thankful that I'm just on RAW for now; otherwise, I'd have bags under my eyes so big, they'd have to be checked as carry-ons. This morning, I was awoken by my little four-legged alarm clock and, needless to say, I don't think I need to wash my face.

"Okay! Okay…" I laugh. "I'm up, Thunder. Mama's awake. Give me a little time to shower and change and we can go down to breakfast." My little fur baby barked happily at the suggestion as I went into the bathroom. Just as I turn the shower on, I hear my phone ring. I go back out to my bed and look at the number that shows up and there's already a smile on my face. Man, what is it about this guy that just makes me smile? I answer my phone as I walk back to the bathroom. "Hey, John."

_"Morning, baby girl."_ I hear him say with a slight yawn.

"Still not over the anesthesia?" I ask.

_"Like I said, that shit's strong."_ He laughed. _"Anyway, how was last night with the girls?"_

"It was fun. We had a movie marathon on my laptop, ate junk… Thunder was a hit, as usual." I chuckle.

_"I bet he was. Do you have any idea how many superstars would give their right leg to be in that dog's shoes?"_

I think back to the times when both Chris and R-Truth both said they hated Thunder because of all the attention he got from the Divas, but I don't think they really hate him. I know deep down, they're jealous.

"Um… all of them?"

_"Okay, maybe you **do** have an idea."_ We laugh.

"So, would it be safe to count you among the superstars wanting to trade places with Thunder?" I ask playfully.

_"Yeah… but not for the reason you might think."_

"Oh?" I ask. Okay, he's got my curiosity piqued. "So what is the reason?"

_"Spending time with you 24/7 doesn't sound like a bad deal. I'm jealous of the little guy."_

"Oh, get out!" I chuckle. Even if he wasn't serious, it's still really sweet of him to say. "You know, that's really corny."

_"You really **haven't** been watching me on t.v. long, have you?"_ He laughed when he realized something. _"I hear water running. I didn't catch you at a bad time, did I?"_

"What? Oh, no. I was just getting ready to take my shower. I haven't gotten in yet, so…"

_"Sounds like I called just in time. How about sending me a pic of you in that bath towel? Give me something else to look at during rehab besides these doctors."_ I could hear the sexy tone of his voice and even that sent shivers up my spine- the good kind.

"I'm not wearing a towel."

**_"Even better!"_** He said with a little too much excitement.

"I'm in a robe, you perv!" I laugh.

_"Hey, how was I supposed to know that? You tease!"_ He laughed back. _"So, what's on tap for you today?"_

"Well, just before you called, I got an email from Vince about doing an interview for the WWE Magazine and I still can't believe it."

_"Why?"_

"I mean, they want to do an article on me?"

_"Of course; why wouldn't they? Let's see, you saved my life, you were a big hit when you and Dee sat in on Raw and you're the first female commentator in WWE history. Sounds like article material to me."_

Okay, those are good points.

"I guess I'm still getting used to all the attention."

_"You deserve it."_

"Thanks. How's your rehab coming along, by the way?"

_"It's coming along great. I should be fine for next Monday."_ John answered. _"Not to fight, but you know…"_

"Yeah, the obligatory promos and such. It'll be good to watch you from ringside again."

_"It'll be good to flirt with you on live t.v. again."_

My head just drops and I shake my head when he says that.

"You just live to embarrass me, don't you?"

_"A job's nothing without its perks."_ He chuckled and I could just imagine the smirk on his lips. Oh… those lips. I swear that was one hell of a kiss if I'm STILL thinking about it. _"Hey, I hate to let you go but the doc's here to take me to rehab."_

"Alright. I need to get myself ready, too. Phone date later tonight?"

_"It's a date. Bye."_

"Bye." I smile as I hang up. Today was going to be a new experience for me. Not only do I have an interview for the magazine, I have another photo shoot which means, I need to hurry up, take my shower, do my hair and find an outfit for this thing! And if that wasn't bad enough, Thunder's barking at me through the other side of the door. "Okay, sweetie! I know you're hungry! I'm going as fast as I can." I laugh. It's a good think the little guy woke me up so early.

-Later-

Well, I promised Thunder breakfast so we head down to the dining area where I grab some fruit, a sausage biscuit and some juice. Since this is a pet-friendly hotel, they have food for Thunder and the other animal guests… and by food, I mean real gourmet stuff like steak and chicken. It's enough to make some of the human guests jealous. Now, I go to a table to eat and Thunder's right at my side, leashed of course… and the second I take a bite of my biscuit, I'm visited by Wade Barrett, Dolph Ziggler and some guy I've never seen before. All I know is he had dark hair and a five o'clock shadow. Now, judging by the looks on their faces, I doubt they're here to congratulate me on my new position as commentator. With an annoyed look on my face, I just look up at them and shake my head.

"You boys lost?" I ask.

"No, but you must be if you think you belong here." Dolph shot back and I just shake my head again.

"Look, if you're still sore about what I said on RAW… too bad!" I reply back. "I was told to be myself. I was given carte blanche to say what I felt like and I ran with it. I'm not doing anything the other commentators aren't doing so why are you on my case?"

"Because you fail to know your place, little girl." Wade chimed in with his thick British accent.

"'Little girl'? Dude, I'm older than you!" I roll my eyes. "I know my place, thank you! And I also know yours… it's anywhere that's NOT close to me!"

"Such a lack of respect. You need to learn some manners." The new guy said and, I'm still trying to figure out who he is.

"I'm sorry; who are you?" I ask.

"How can you not know who I am? I'm insulted."

He's insulted. I have to stop eating to listen to a guy who looks like the product of an illicit affair between Disco Inferno and Paula Abdul and he's insulted?

"Yyyyeah and I still don't recognize you. Are you gonna tell me how you are or do I have to look it up on Wikipedia? Whichever way's faster, I don't care."

"Name's Johnny Curtis. Remember it!"

I just look at him with the blankest expression.

"Okay… are you a ref or part of the crew or something because I've never heard of you."

"You little… I'm a Superstar!"

"Where? I've never seen you on any of the shows… oh, wait. NOW I know who you are! You and a bunch of other superstars and Divas were on a segment where you all watched Barricade! Yeah, you were sitting next to Kaitlyn and she totally ignored you. I knew it would come to me eventually." I smirk.

"Look here, you little tart!" By now Wade and the other two are getting tired of me standing up to them. "We will not stand here and be insulted by someone who was just hired off the street!"

"Then stand over there. I'll gladly insult you from a distance." I shot back.

Wade obviously didn't appreciate my little jab and proved it by knocking my food onto the floor. My sausage biscuit flew to the other side of the room where a German shepherd who was someone's service dog ate it. I guess I should be happy someone's eating it. I was about to say something when Thunder starts barking furiously at the rude dudes. My little pint-sized bodyguard-love him.

"What is your malfunction!? I was gonna eat that! I was especially gonna eat that, but Rin Tin Tin over there's taking care of that for me, no thanks to you!"

"Why don't you shut up!?" Dolph shouted. What I saw next just made me smirk and when they guys saw me lean back in my chair with my arms crossed, they wondered why I was so relaxed all of a sudden.

"What are you smiling at?" Johnny asked me.

"Me? Oh, I'm smiling at them." I point behind them and when they turned around, they were faced with Sheamus, Randy and Justin Gabriel.

"Is there a problem here?" Sheamus asked Wade and his Irish eyes were NOT smiling.

"I think someone needs to teach you guys some manners." Randy added.

"Are they bothering you, Gwen?" Justin asked me.

"No, Justin. In fact, they were just leaving… weren't you?" I asked pointedly at Wade and company. Wade shot me a look before turning his gaze back to my personal cavalry.

"You heard the lady. Move along, fella!"

"Fine, we'll leave. But this is far from over." Finally, Wade and company leave… and I'm still biscuitless. Damn it! I guess I should be thankful my outfit isn't ruined; otherwise I'd have to go back to my room and change. I look up at my three saviors and I think back to what John said to me before he left for his elbow scope:

**_"Relax, you're gonna be fine by yourself."_**

**_"How can you be so sure?" I ask. I mean, yeah, I can take care of myself just fine. But, you gotta admit, it's nice having someone watch your back._**

**_"I have my ways. Do you trust me?" He asked me._**

"I trust you." I think to myself as I smile. Okay, I gotta admit, he knows how to take care of business. I get brought back to reality when I hear Randy talking to me.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah, we're okay." I say as Thunder walks over and stands next to Sheamus.

"Good job protecting your mama, little guy." The Irishman smiles down at the little Terrier.

"Yeah, he's a Yorkie on the outside, but a Pit Bull on the inside." I smile as I look up at the guys. "Just out of curiosity, did John ask you to keep an eye on me?"

"Would you believe us if we said no?" Justin chuckled.

"No." I laugh. "Thanks, guys. I'm glad you came by when you did."

"No problem at all. He asked us to do him this favor while he's out and we couldn't say no." Randy replied.

"We would have come over anyway. They had no right to threaten you like that." Justin added.

"Well, thanks again. I'm supposed to do an interview for WWE magazine this morning and I can't afford to have anything derail it."

"Yeah, we heard about that. Congratulations, Lass."

"Thanks." I was about to get up and that was when my stomach decided to remind me that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. "Uh… can we pretend you didn't hear that?" I chuckle.

"It's a little too late for that." Randy chuckled. "Hey, let us buy you breakfast. It's the least we can do."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking. We're offering. Totally different." Justin smiled.

It looks like for every jackass I meet up with here, I find the same amount of really good friends.

"Well, in that case, I'd be a fool to refuse, wouldn't I?"

With my new escorts, I got some more food and my tummy was very appreciative of that. After breakfast-the remix, Sheamus took me and Thunder to where I was supposed to go for my interview. I think I'm more nervous now than when I had my interview at the dance studio. I sit down in the leather chair and across from me is my interviewer.

"Hey. Gwen, right? I'm gonna be interviewing you. Greg Godfrey." He said as he shook my hand.

"Nice to meet you. I just hope I don't bore you."

"From what I heard about you already, I don't think I'll be bored in the least." He reassured me.

We go through the usual questions: where was I born, where I went to school, what I did before I came to the WWE, what I like to do in my spare time… you know, the usual. Soon, we get to the part about my going to my first live RAW and what happened behind the scenes.

"So, I ended up getting myself hopelessly lost and I end up in the locker room area. I'm trying to remember who I saw walking out. I think it as Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton and, I think, Kofi Kingston."

"Okay, so, they walk out and you didn't call out to them for help? Why not?"

"I have no earthly idea. And, to this day, I still can't figure out why I didn't speak up. I guess maybe they were on their way to a match and I didn't want to bug them; I dunno." I admit. "I just know that after they left, I went back to where the room they came out of hoping to find someone else who could help me and that was when I heard this loud crash like someone getting pushed into the lockers. I kinda peek into the room and that's where I see this guy kneeling on the floor with his hand clutching his throat."

"He was choking!"

"Yeah! He was turning blue, gagging and he looked like he was about 2 seconds away from passing out. I guess instinct kicked in and I ran in to give him the Heimlich maneuver. After about five thrusts, I see this red and white candy fly out and he starts coughing. I ask if he's okay and he nods and when he goes to stand up, I run out of the room like a complete idiot."

"So you ran out before he could say thank you?"

"Looking back on it, it wasn't exactly the smartest move on my part, but yeah. I bolted."

"Did you even know who it was you just saved?"

"At the time, no. I mean, I was in total crisis mode. The last thing on my mind was 'Oh, wow! I could be saving the life of a celebrity! This is so cool!' All I cared about was 'if I don't help this guy now, he could die.'"

"So when did you realize that it was John Cena whose life you saved?"

"None of that registered until after the main event was about to begin and his music hit. I saw him walking down the ramp wearing the same thing as the choking guy in the locker room and that was when it clicked. In my head, I'm thinking 'I just saved John Cena's life and I ran out before he could thank me. Have I lost my frickin' mind?!'"

"Have you?"

"Honestly? I really believed I had but that wasn't the craziest thing that happened that night."

I go on to talk about him signing my poster, the club afterwards and how he found me the next day. I didn't divulge everything because I wanted to keep some of those memories to myself. A little bit later into the interview, we get to how Dee and I came to be on RAW the following week.

"John invited us to come to Smackdown that same week. It wasn't until later that he invited us to RAW the next Monday."

"How did you feel about that?"

"I was blown away. I thought things couldn't get any better."

"I saw when he started talking about the incident backstage at the top of the show and he alluded to you. I know you were surprised when he pulled you out of the audience."

"Surprised is an understatement." I chuckle. "I was really knocked for a loop when he said Dee and I would be watching RAW from the announce table. And not only watching, providing commentary as well."

"I saw that episode. You and your friend looked like you were having a blast." He smiled. "So, I gather this is how your career started."

Again, I'm not telling him everything since I wanted to keep it under wraps.

"Yeah, Dee and I went home after RAW and a week had passed. I wasn't even expecting to hear from any of them again and then I get a call from John telling me that Vince McMahon wanted to offer me a job."

"This was after Jerry's heart attack."

"Yeah. I saw that episode and it scared the crap outta me." I admit. "John said that Mr. McMahon was impressed with me and that the fans thought I was a hit so he offered me a temporary contract. If things go well, this could be permanent."

"And now you're the first female commentator in WWE history. How does it feel?"

"Actually, I don't feel like I made history. I just feel like someone who got offered the opportunity of a lifetime."

"Speaking of John Cena…" Greg began and I can already see where he's going with this. "I couldn't help but notice… how can I say this… John flirting with you. Not just once, but twice and on consecutive episodes of Raw. I think everyone wants to know… is there something going on between you two?"

"Well… I'm not gonna say I don't wish there was something going on." I say. And it's the truth. I'd love for John and me to be more than just friends, but I'm still not sure how he feels about it. "I guess time will tell."

"Well, thank you for speaking with us and here's to a long career."

"Thanks; it was fun!" I smile. We shake hands and I'm led to where I'm supposed to have some photos taken for the article. It goes off without a hitch… until Thunder decides to get into the act and his cuteness is infectious. Soon, the photographer decides to include him in the pictures. After that was over, I'm headed back to my hotel room when I hear my phone ringing. I take it out of my pocket and I see Stephanie's number flashing on the screen.

"Hello?"

_"Hey, Gwen. Glad I caught you. How did the interview go?"_

"It was a blast. I still can't believe this is happening."

_"Well, it's not over yet. We have you booked on Live with Kelly and Michael and The Chew tomorrow."_

"Whoa, get out! I watch Kelly and Michael all the time and I love The Chew! I don't get it, though. Usually, commentators don't get this much exposure. Why me? I mean, not that I'm not excited over it."

_"Well, usually commentators don't get so much face time except on the show, but you're different. Your story is unique, to say the least. Just have fun with it."_

"Alright. On the upside, this is more traveling than I ever thought I'd do in my lifetime."

_"There you go! Oh, you and Thunder better get ready. Your flight leaves this evening."_

"Okay, and thanks for the heads up! I won't let you down!"

_"Just make sure Thunder looks extra adorable. Bye."_

"Bye." Wow. My first talk show appearances. I can't even believe it. Okay, I have to tell John about this the next time he calls. But first… I have to tell my B.F.F.! On my way back to the hotel, I'm on the phone with Dee and she's just as excited about my appearances as I am.

_"An interview in WWE magazine and talk shows? Girl, you so deserve this! I'm gonna be TiVo'ing both shows!"_

"I hope so. I just hope I don't make a fool outta myself."

_"You're killing it on RAW; you'll do fine there, too. Don't stress so much. It causes wrinkles!"_ She laughed.

"Ha ha!" I laugh.

_"So how's the man of your dreams doing?"_

"He's doing fine. Rehab's coming along and he should be good to go for next Monday."

_"I know you're looking forward to that."_ I can hear the teasing tone in her voice. If there's one person on this planet I can never fool, it's Dee-hard as I try.

"Okay, so I miss him." I smile to myself.

_"I think it's more than that, girl. Anyway, I can't wait to see you on Kelly and Michael and The Chew. Shoot everything when you get to New York! I wanna see it on your blog!"_

"I will. Bye, girl."

_"Bye."_

-Thursday-

I arrived in New York City earlier that morning… and by earlier, I mean around 2 a.m. Talk about a red-eye. It's a good thing I slept on the plane. After checking into the hotel and finally getting into a nice warm bed, I wake up the next morning and take Thunder to the in-house groomer to get dolled up. Okay, maybe "dolled up" is the wrong thing to say since he's a boy but you should see him after they got through with him; he's adorable.

-Later that morning-

I caught one of New York City's 13,000 cabs to the studio where they shoot Live with Kelly and Michael and arrive an hour before the show even starts. What can I say? I like having time to iron out any little issues and make sure everything's in its place. As I'm getting into hair and makeup, I get a chance to meet Kelly Ripa.

"Hey, you're Gwen Turner, right?"

"Um, yeah. Nice to meet you." I say as I shake her hand. "Can you tell I'm a bit nervous?"

"Oh, don't be. Just be yourself and you'll do fine." She reassured me and then she looked down next to my chair. "Aww, who's this?"

"Meet my little fur baby, Thunder." I smile. Thunder, being the little hot dog he is, stands on his hind legs and dances in a little circle.

"He's just a little cutie pie!" She said as she scratched his little ears. "Well, it's getting close to showtime. Break a leg."

"Thanks; you, too." As Kelly leaves, Thunder looks up at me and tilts his head to the side. "I know I need to stop being so nervous. I need to just think of this as just another day in the office."

-Live with Kelly and Michael-

"Alright, our next guest has made history by becoming the first female commentator in the WWE! It's about TIME!" Kelly said and the crowd laughs as Michael gets ready to speak.

"Now, how that all came about is a wild story and she's here to tell her tale! Please welcome, Gwen Turner!"

The crowd cheers and I walk out waving to everyone before shaking hands with Kelly and Michael.

"Nice to have you here, Gwen."

"Thanks for having me."

"So what's it like being the first female commentator in WWE History?"

"Honestly, it's still kind of a shock to me. It's like one minute, I'm home watching the WWE wishing I was there, the next minute-boom! I'm part of the announce team!"

"Yeah, and how you got to that point is interesting. Why don't you tell us about it?"

I tell them about how my boss gave me the tickets and everything that happened up to when John said Dee and I could watch RAW from the announce table.

"That's one amazing thank you. Now, I have to admit, you got away with a lot of stuff on that night with your friend but my favorite would have to be this one!" And Michael shows the scene where I con Damien Sandow into sticking around long enough for Brodus Clay to pin him. "Now, that was priceless!"

The crowd cheers and applauds and I just chuckle.

"Yeah, that was fun. He tried to turn tail but I couldn't let that happen again."

"I loved this move. You were all 'I didn't touch him.'" Michael mimicked how I looked and then Kelly spoke.

"That was fun, but, my favorite part was this." And they showed the clip of John blowing me a kiss before his match. "And the following week, he did it again. Take a look at this!" They then show him winking at me when I made my debut. "Well, what's going on here? Are you two an item?"

How did I know they'd go there? I just have this stupid grin on my face, half from embarrassment and half from the nerves I'm feeling because I dunno how to answer that! I mean we went out on one date; we shared one amazing kiss! I think it's safe to say we're definitely more than "just friends".

"He just loves to embarrass me. I think that's his new life's mission." I say with a chuckle and that was when Michael sprung a surprise on everyone… including me.

"Well, why don't we go to the phones? I think someone has a question they want to ask you. Go ahead, caller."

Okay, I've watched the show and they always have people calling in so I figured it was just a normal thing. What I didn't know was that this was a special caller.

_"Yeah, I was wondering if Gwen has some sort of secret crush on the guy that she's not admitting to."_

Once his voice comes up, the crowd goes nuts because they know who the caller is. Now, there I am and when I hear his voice, my head just drops and I'm thinking "I could just strangle him!" If I wasn't crushing on him. He SO had this planned! I really don't want to look at anyone because I'd show that I really did like him, but I didn't have much choice because I hear…

_"Hi, Gwen."_

I just shake my head and with a grin on my lips, I answer back,

"Hey, John. You're enjoying this way too much, aren't you?"

_"What? I just called in to say hi. Nothing wrong with that, right?"_ I can't see him, but I can tell from his voice that his dimples are out in full force.

"I guess not." I sigh with a chuckle.

"So. John. We heard about your elbow. How did that go?"

_"They got all the bone chips out and right now I'm in rehab."_

"So when should we expect to see you back on RAW?"

_"I should be back this coming Monday! I have a score to settle with C.M. Punk."_

"I bet you do. You got robbed at Night of Champions, but I get the feeling that Punk's not the real reason you're coming back so early." And Michael looks straight at me when he asks that.

"What?" I ask.

_"There might be another… more important reason." _I hear John say.

"Oh, God! You're killing me, here!" I laugh. By now I'm blushing like there's no tomorrow and thanks to the make-up, nobody can see it. Michael's shooting me his gap-toothed smile and looks at the camera to close out our segment.

"Looks like we have something else to look forward to! Check out Monday Night Raw on the USA network at 8 P.M. Eastern to see Gwen Turner and the return of John Cena and find out if there's really a thing going on between these two!"

"We'll be right back!"

Well, I was the last guest and, for the most part, it was fun. Now, I'm thinking I have 24 hours to do The Chew but I just remember that they only tape Monday-Thursday. Just as I'm about to pick up Thunder, I get a call from Stephanie.

"Hey, Stephanie."

_"Hey, Gwen. I'm not sure if you know this but The Chew only tapes from Monday-Thursday. Meaning…"_

"Meaning Friday's episode is taping later this afternoon?"

_"Ah, so you do know. Good to know you're on top of things."_

"Actually, I JUST remembered their schedule. Not a moment too soon. I just wrapped up with Kelly and Michael."

_"Well, I hope you have enough energy to get through this."_

"If I can go through teaching all-day dance classes five days a week, I can handle this." I chuckle.

_"That's the spirit. Have fun!"_

"Thanks! Bye!" I hang up and I look for my little dog. I turn to the left and I see him playing tug-of war with Michael's stuffed football toy. "Having fun, I see."

"Yeah, he's a little scrapper." He smiled. "I have to say you did great today and you're welcome back here anytime! Especially if there's any news about you and…"

"Oh, come on!" I laugh. "But thanks for the offer. I might take you up on that."

After a little post-show get together, I gather up Thunder and take the next cab to the studio where they shoot The Chew. Again, I decide to get there early just in case any issues might pop up last minute. Once there, it took everything I had to keep Thunder from just running all over the place because the smells of the food they cook ahead of time hit us like a ton of bricks-a ton of yummy, delicious, mouth-watering bricks!

"I know, sweetie. I know. I'm hoping they let us take home a few doggie bags." I say to Thunder. I soon get greeted by the stage manager who leads me to the green room and she goes over the format of the taping with me.

"Okay, we're gonna have your segment last on the show so you'll have plenty of time to look around and psych yourself up. Just be yourself and have a good time. Oh, and don't worry about your little dog. He'll be fine with us."

"Okay, thanks."

-Later-

It's getting close to time for my segment to start. Right now they're taking a commercial break and I'm at my mark. Even though I just got off of doing Live with Kelly and Michael, I'm still getting butterflies. I guess because I'll be cooking and talking. I'm standing there waiting and I hear Chef Michael Symon about to introduce me.

"The road that led to our next guest's destiny is paved with one amazing story and I can't wait to hear it. She is making history as the WWE's first ever female commentator! Please welcome Gwen Turner!"

The theme music for RAW plays and I come out wearing a turquoise top with gold necklace, blue jeans and matching earrings and flats. (A/N: check my profile for the outfit.) I walk down the steps shaking hands with some audience members and I get to Michael.

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Going good! Thanks for having me, Michael."

"Well, I hope you're ready to do some cooking because we're making pork chops with chow chow."

When he said that, I had the weirdest look on my face and it doesn't go unnoticed.

"Are you alright?" Michael asked me amused.

"Uh… nobody told me we were cooking dogs." Everyone laughed. I knew he wasn't but I had to say something. Even I laughed.

"Dogs? Where did you-oh! Um, actually chow chow is a kind of relish." Michael chuckled.

Okay, how the hell was I supposed to know that?

"Oh! Okay, well that changes everything. I mean you said 'chow chow' and I'm standing here like 'WHAT!?'" I laugh. "I brought my dog, Thunder, with me and I know he's back there doing his best Scooby-Doo impression like 'ruh-roh!'" I look into the camera. "It's okay, sweetie! No dogs are being harmed here. You're safe!"

"Yeah, we wouldn't want the ASPCA sending us letters!" Michael laughed and he sounds just like my older brother when he laughs. "Okay, so we have our grill preheated on medium-high heat and our pan has some extra virgin olive oil."

"It's on and poppin'. That's how ya do it!"

"Tell it, girl!" Carla chimed in. I look over to the table where the other four hosts are sitting and I notice a woman with curly, black hair and glasses.

"You sound like a Southern Belle over there! Where are you from?"

"Tennessee!"

"Mississippi! Girl!" I go over and high five her! "Dirty South represent!"

"That's right!" Everyone laughs as I make my way back to Michael and the food.

"Okay, while I season these chops with some salt and freshly ground pepper, tell us a bit about yourself. As we heard, you're from Mississippi." He laughs. "So, how did a girl like you end up making history?"

"It's a long story. I still can't believe it myself sometimes."

"Hey, we have time!" Michael tells me. "So, what did you do before you went to the WWE?"

"If you can believe it, I was a hip-hop dance teacher at my local studio." I say as he hands me some bowls with ingredients to simmer in a saucepan.

"Okay, so how did you get from dance teacher to WWE commentator?"

"Well, my boss… my old boss had tickets to RAW when they came to Memphis and he didn't want them so he gave them to me."

"I bet that shocked you."

"You have no idea!" I chuckle. "Anyway, I call up my best friend, Dee and we make plans to go to the Pyramid where Raw was being held. Okay, so Monday comes and we're at the Pyramid long before the show even starts. And while she was buying up souvenirs, I needed to take care of some… business…" The crowd laughs because they knew what I meant. "And when I come out… I discover that I'm hopelessly lost."

"Lost? How'd that happen?"

"Okay, keep in mind, this is my first time at the Pyramid so I'm a complete noob to the layout. You know those signs that say 'You Are Here'?"

"Yeah."

"There was one that said 'If you don't even know where **here** is, I can't help you, honey!'" Michael, the other hosts and the entire audience laughs.

"Okay, so you're wandering around backstage or something like that."

"Right. And I end up near the locker rooms where I see a few Superstars walk out. And I say… absolutely nothing. I wanted to say I need help, but my mouth refused to cooperate."

"I know how you feel. It's like you get close to a celebrity and you just freeze."

"Exactly! So, after I stand there like a complete doofus and they walk away, I go back to where they just left from to see if there was someone who could tell me where I was. And that's when I hear this crash like someone being thrown into a locker."

"What did you think it was?"

"I thought it was one of those brawls and I should just go the other way. But since I'm a nosy black chick, I decided to go look." They laugh. "Anyway, I peek into the room and I see this guy kneeling on the floor with his hand on his throat and his face was blue. He was choking."

"No way!"

"Way!"

"So what was going through your mind when that was happening?"

"To be honest, I kinda zoned out. All I knew was this guy was choking, he was all alone and he needed help. So, I run in, wrap my arms around him like this and I gave him the Heimlich maneuver. It took about four or five thrusts; I don't even remember, but I do remember the candy flying out of his mouth. He started coughing and nodded when I asked if he was okay."

"So did you even know who you saved?"

"Not really. I mean, I did notice his clothes but it didn't click right away. And I didn't even ask because when he started to stand up, I ran out before he could say anything."

"Okay, so for the benefit of those who don't know, why don't you tell them who it was you saved."

"None other than John Cena." And the crowd went nuts as they showed screenshots of him when he first appeared on The Chew.

"Now, when did you first realize that it was John?"

"It wasn't until the main event when he came down the ramp and I finally put two and two together." Now as I'm talking, the cheers turn to "awws" and I look confused. Okay, I know the guy's cute, but it's more of a "hot damn, I wanna knock boots" kinda cute. I'm still trying to figure out why until I see some familiar fur walk across the floor and Carla picking up Thunder.

"Aww, hey, little cutie!" Now everyone's attention turns to the hosts' table and I see my little pet soaking up the limelight. Little scene-stealer.

"Who's dog is that?" Michael asks me.

"He's mine." I shake my head. "Everyone… meet Thunder."

Chef Michael looked over at Thunder… then at me... then at Thunder again before shouting…

**"WHAT!?"** He laughed. "THAT'S Thunder?"

"That's Thunder." I chuckle.

"Okay, now when you said your dog's name was Thunder earlier, I had a Rottweiler or a Bullmastiff in mind. Something along those lines! Not… a Yorkie!" He laughs.

"Well, nobody asked what breed he was." I laugh back.

"Okay, I gotta ask. Why 'Thunder'? Why not… Cuddles or Misty?"

"Well, he's a boy so Misty's out." I laugh. "And he's named Thunder because when I adopted him from the shelter, it was storming and he was crying when the thunder rumbled. That's how I found him. He was huddled in the corner of the kennel with his mom and littermates."

"Is he still afraid of thunder?"

"Nope. Now when there's a storm, he just barks at it."

"What happens when he sees a lightning strike?"

"He bolts." I smirk because the sound guy cues up a comedy rim shot and that's when everyone gets the joke.

"I'm starting to see why you were such a hit on RAW! Okay, we're gonna work on the pork chops and chow chow during the commercial and when we come back, we're gonna talk to Gwen about how this gig came about! We'll be right back."

-After Commercial Break-

The show returns and the camera's panning over the audience, the people at the tables in front of the audience and then stops at Carla and Daphne with Thunder in between. He has his own little chair and a plate. How cute is that?

"Okay we're back with the WWE's first female announcer, Gwen Turner, and her canine sidekick, Thunder." Chef Michael lets out a small chuckle. "Now, for those who weren't watching before the commercial break, we were cooking and out walks this little bundle of fur and cuteness."

Yeah, leave it to my dog to steal the show.

"I take him anywhere else, he's well behaved. But take him somewhere where there's food cooking and try to keep him in the back. It's not gonna happen. He's like, 'stay in the back, uh-uh! I want my piece!'"

"I can't get over that name. I love it. You hear that name and you expect to see a huge, snarling animal and out comes… Toto. But. I like it. It's unique. It's kinda like naming a goldfish, Raiden!"

Okay, now this is getting weird. I think he knows Dee, too!

"Okay, speaking of dogs… I want to show exactly what chow chow looks like."

"Thanks goodness, because I wanna see this for myself."

"Alright! Now, we have one medium green bell pepper, 2 medium red bell peppers and one medium yellow pepper. These are already seeded and chopped. One onion peeled and quartered and 2 jalapenos chopped and the stems removed."

"Okay, now if you're not into spicy food, can you leave the jalapenos out?" I ask.

"Oh, yeah. You can do that." He answered. "I take it you're not a fan of spicy food."

"Not, overly spicy, no."

"I thought you were Southern."

"I ain't **that** Southern." Everyone laughs.

"Okay, now I'm gonna put the onion and peppers in the food processor and hit 'pulse' a few times. While I do that, this is two ears of corn removed from the cob. If you could put that in the sauté pan for me?"

"I can do that."

"Okay, now that the peppers are mixed, I'll pour that in with the corn and add the pickling liquid." He said. "This is what I had you making before the commercial break."

"Oh, okay. I was wondering what it was for."

"Now we bring this to a boil over high heat and then we reduce the heat to a simmer and let that cook for 15 to 20 minutes. And through the magic of television…" He brings out a jar of chow chow already made ahead of time. "Here is the finished product and it'll keep for two weeks."

"You gotta love t.v. magic. Only on t.v. can you cook a dinner like this in the span of two commercial breaks!" The audience applauds. "Don't you wish you could do that in real life?"

"I think everyone wishes that. Especially those who cook for chowhounds!" Michael laughs. "Okay, now we put a spoonful of chow chow on the plate, and the pork chop. And I like to add a few slices on top of the relish to show off."

"There's nothing hotter than a guy that can cook, ladies! You find one, hang on to him!"

"And, to further show off… a garnish of cilantro and voila!" They cheer. "Now, take a bite of that."

I take a fork and get a slice of the pork chop and it smells amazing. I dip it in the chow chow and take a bite.

"Mmm, yum! This is delicious!"

"Well, thank you. I try." Michael laughs.

Over at the table, the rest of the co-hosts have their own plates of food. Carla and Daphne are feeding Thunder some of the pork chop and I know he's in heaven.

"You like it; don't you, little guy?" Clinton says as he pets Thunder. He is a hit with everyone. No surprise there.

"Now that's a good review; if a dog like your cooking, you're golden!" Michael laughs. "Okay, now let's get back to you and how you ended up as a commentator. So you figure out that you saved John Cena. Did he figure out the same thing?"

"That happened a little later that night. After Raw, my friend and I went to the local club and it just so happens, John was there, too."

"Now, that's kinda freaky." Carla chuckled.

"It's almost like fate was at work there." Daphne adds.

"Tell me about it. So we start talking and the subject comes up where he asks me if anything unusual happened before the show started and I tell him about the incident in the locker room. And that's when it clicked for him."

"Wait… how did he know who you were before?" Mario wondered aloud.

"Well, after the main event, I guess he saw my friend acting weird and he came over. He signed my poster and later on that night, I guess he recognized me while I was dancing."

"Okay, something's not adding up. You said you ran out before he could say anything. That means, he didn't see your face, right?"

"Right."

"So, how did he know he was talking to the right girl when he asked you about the locker room?" Clinton asked me.

"Well, he told me that when he looked up after he got his breath back, all he saw was a girl running away with long, black hair and a crescent moon shaped birthmark on the right shoulder." Michael looked me over for a moment.

"Well, you have the hair. Can we see your shoulder?"

I turn around and lower the right side of my top enough to show my birthmark.

"And there it is!"

"I had on a tank top that night and I guess when he saw me dancing, he saw that birthmark and knew it was me."

"So what happened after that?"

"Well, My friend Dee and I were invited to SmackDown that week and to come to the next RAW. Ringside seats, the whole nine."

"I bet that was a week to remember." Carla chimed in while she was scratching Thunder's ears.

"It was. It really was."

"Now, I watched that episode and it just so happens we have a clip of the opening." They show the part about John telling the audience about his choking scare and me saving him. "Now, here he is picking you out of the front row and taking you to the ring. Now, what was going through your mind?"

"I was thinking, 'oh, my God. What is this guy gonna do?'"

"So he tells the world about you and he gives you, what I think is an amazing reward."

"Yeah. Dee and I got to watch RAW from the announce table."

"Not only watch. You did commentary!"

"Oh, that was a total blast! Inside, I was fangirling the whole time!"

"Apparently, you and Dee were a hit!"

"Yeah, because the following week, I get offered a job as a temporary commentator since Jerry's out from a heart attack. And I know we have some fans in the audience. I'd love it, and I know he would, too if you'd send him a tweet on his page and send lots of well wishes. We miss you, Jerry! Come on back!"

"Man, I grew up watching him on Mid-South Wrestling." Carla tells me.

"You, too?" Michael smiles and looks at me.

"Now, are you hoping for a more permanent position?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind being part of the team full-time. What do you guys think?" The audience cheers loudly.

"Well, it's about time they added some girl power!" Daphne smiles and Michael speaks again.

"Okay, you mentioned 'fangirling' while you were at the table for the first time. That brings me to this; I wanna show everyone what happened the night John introduced you to the world..." And they show him blowing me a kiss and the crowd "oohs". "… and on your debut as a commentator!" They show him winking at me. "Now, maybe I'm a little dense, but I don't think he was flirting with Michael Cole!" Everyone laughs and I have this weird look on my face.

"I hope not. Can you imagine the tweets and YouTube videos that would come outta that?"

"Now, here's my question. I know you two are friends."

"Yeah, we are."

"Would it be safe to say you're… more than friends? Or maybe you'd like to be?"

"Well…" Man, why do they keep asking this stuff? "We're friends. Would I like to be more than friends with him? I think I and about every other red-blooded American woman would love to be 'more than friends' with John Cena."

"Yeah, I know that; but we're not talking about every other woman. We're talking about you."

I just have this grin on my face I'm trying so desperately to hide and Thunder is barking happily.

"Oh, mind your own business, sweetie!" I laugh.

"I think Thunder wants you two to hook up!" Mario chuckles.

You and me both, Thunder. I just wish I knew how John would feel about that.

"Now, earlier this week, John tweeted about getting an elbow scope done."

"Yeah, he had to go to Alabama to get some bone chips removed from his right elbow. His match at Night of Champions did a number on it. He's in rehab right now and is supposed to be on RAW next Monday."

"Are you looking forward to that?" Carla asks me.

"Of course, I am. He might not be in action, but it'd still be good to see him." I'm so trying to keep from sounding like some lovesick schoolgirl, but John just has that effect on me. Now, what I don't know is that someone's coming up behind me. All I can tell is that the other hosts are smiling and Thunder's tail is wagging like crazy. I hear Michael talking and I feel a tap on my left shoulder. I turn my head… but there's nobody there. Thinking it was a mistake, I just shrug it off but when I turn to the right…

"John?!"

There's John with that stupid grin and those dimples that I don't want to admit to myself that I love looking at. His right arm's in a sling but that doesn't even register with me.

"Surprise!"

The crowd erupts in cheers and I just let out a laugh as he uses his left arm to pull me into a hug. Even though he was just using one arm, it still felt as good as two. Reluctantly, I loosen the hug to talk to him.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were gonna be in rehab all week."

"Well, I was. And I still kinda am, but I had to see you." Everyone in the studio goes "aww".

"So, you played hooky just to surprise me?" I smirk.

"That's the gist of it, yeah." He smiles.

"So, wait… that call at Live with Kelly and Michael…"

"I was at the studio."

He was here in New York the whole time?

"You set all this up."

"Mmmmaybe." He's a nut… but he's a total sweetheart.

"John, it's good to have you here again!" Michael said as he shook John's free hand.

"It's good to be back."

"Maybe you can help us out. We've been trying to get Gwen to tell us about you two and she's not talking." Chef Michael laughed. "Is there anything between you two?"

"Uh… here, John. Have some of this pork chops and chow chow!" I try to change the subject and everyone busts up laughing. Michael gently takes the plate out of my hands and puts it back on the table.

"Nice try, Gwen. But he can eat after he talks."

"Worth a shot." I relent.

"Okay, so what's the story about you two?"

He flashes that trademark crooked grin of his before giving the camera a look. Oh, good gravy.

"Ah, Gwen Turner and John Cena." He slowly puts his good arm around my shoulder and his hand is resting on it. "Well, the story is that we're two people who care very deeply about each other. We have this bond. I wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for her and my life wouldn't be the same without her."

The crowd is eating this up. I know they're thinking we're an item. Hell, I bet everyone thinks that now. The only ones I'm not sure about are me and John.

"Okay, I guess we can take that. But I still think you two have something cooking. No pun intended." Michael laughed. "Anyway, that's all the time we have left! We'll see everyone next week! Have a good weekend!"

After the show, I receive thanks and congratulations from the crew and hosts. When I have a free moment, I ask a crew member to shoot a Tout on my smart phone with Thunder in my arms.

"Hey, guys! I just finished two shows today and I'm about to get ready to leave for RAW next Monday. Tune in to see the return of John Cena and who knows what else. Later, gator!" I flash the peace sign and before I knew what hit me, John comes into the shot and kisses me on the cheek before leaving out again and for the last few seconds of my Tout, I have this goofy look of shock on my face. The crew member gave me my phone and let out a giggle as she walked away. I then turn to look at John who was still smiling at me. I know he got away with murder as a kid. Poor Carol.

"So, you really had this planned all along?"

"Yeah. I kinda convinced the doc to let me have a day off and I asked Vince for your schedule for the week."

"And you did all this just to see me again?" I ask with a smirk.

"Not just see you. Holding you was a big part of my motivation." He smiled. That was really corny, but also really sweet.

"You couldn't wait, huh?"

"Uh-uh. A week apart… I couldn't handle it." He smiled. Wow. He really couldn't stand being away from me? Maybe there is something there. "So, I have a few hours before I have to go back tomorrow. We could… hang out. I know this is your first time here and I could be your tour guide." He offered.

"Well, I have to admit, I trust you more than I trust some of these guys here in New York. Any of them could be a mugger." I chuckle.

"Hey, I'll protect you from anyone who tries to mess with you." And he flexes his left arm as proof.

"Even with one arm?"

"And Thunder as my backup. I can clothesline them and once they're on the ground, little man can bite them in the crotch!"

I had to laugh.

"We'd make an unstoppable team! Super Cena and Thunder, the Wonder… Yorkie…" He stalls and has this funny look on his face and he drops his left arm with a deflated aura. "That wouldn't strike fear into anyone, would it?"

"Wonder Yorkie might. Not sure about Super Cena." I tease.

"See, that ain't right." He pouted and I can't help but laugh. "I came all this way to spend the day with you and you do me like this. I thought you liked me."

"Oh, stop pouting. It makes you look too cute." I say without realizing it.

"Well, you need to stop smiling. It makes you look too beautiful."

Okay-insert awkward moment… here. Someone needed to say something… quick.

"I always wanted to see the Empire State Building."

"Then allow be to be your escort." He holds out his elbow and I take it like a lady. As we walk out the door of the studio, I can't help but think about how New York is a city where anything could happen. Maybe a sign will appear that'll tell me things will work out the way I've always dreamed. Dreams come true all the time, right? I just hope mine does, too. And even if this is just a dream… I hope I never wake up.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 13**

ALRIGHT! I'm FINALLY finished with this chapter and it's 20 frickin' pages long on my Microsoft Word app! Damn! I asked my muses to shake something loose and did they ever! Keep it up! Well. I hope my hiatus didn't scare you guys away because I'd love to read what you think. Oh, and the drama's coming. I just have to think of it. LOL As always, read… REVIEW and pass it on! Till next time. Love, peace and hair grease!


	14. See What's In front of You

Hey, everyone! Guess who! No, it's not C.M. Punk. It's your favorite author back with a brand new chapter! I think my muses decided to come off of their strike and give me some inspiration. Let's just hope they keep it up.

Okay, before we get the show on the road, here's a **CENATION SHOUTOUT** to my newest reviewer: **JMLLEI**! Thanks for showing me some love! Now, to take care of some "bidness"!

**DISCLAIMER**: Um… if you haven't figured it out, read the last 13 chapters and check out those disclaimers. *wink* Okay, for all my previous readers, I hope you haven't abandoned me because here we go! **ON WITH THE FIC!**

* * *

**LAST TIME….**

**_"You couldn't wait, huh?"_**

**_"Uh-uh. A week apart… I couldn't handle it." He smiled. Wow. He really couldn't stand being away from me? Maybe there is something there. "So, I have a few hours before I have to go back tomorrow. We could… hang out. I know this is your first time here and I could be your tour guide." He offered._**

**_"Well, I have to admit, I trust you more than I trust some of these guys here in New York. Any of them could be a mugger." I chuckle._**

**_"Hey, I'll protect you from anyone who tries to mess with you." And he flexes his left arm as proof._**

**_"Even with one arm?"_**

**_"And Thunder as my backup. I can clothesline them and once they're on the ground, little man can bite them in the crotch!"_**

**_I had to laugh._**

**_"We'd make an unstoppable team! Super Cena and Thunder, the Wonder… Yorkie…" He stalls and has this funny look on his face and he drops his left arm with a deflated aura. "That wouldn't strike fear into anyone, would it?"_**

**_"Wonder Yorkie might. Not sure about Super Cena." I tease._**

**_"See, that ain't right." He pouted and I can't help but laugh. "I came all this way to spend the day with you and you do me like this. I thought you liked me."_**

**_"Oh, stop pouting. It makes you look too cute." I say without realizing it._**

**_"Well, you need to stop smiling. It makes you look too beautiful."_**

**_Okay-insert awkward moment… here. Someone needed to say something… quick._**

**_"I always wanted to see the Empire State Building."_**

**_"Then allow be to be your escort." He holds out his elbow and I take it like a lady. As we walk out the door of the studio, I can't help but think about how New York is a city where anything could happen. Maybe a sign will appear that'll tell me things will work out the way I've always dreamed. Dreams come true all the time, right? I just hope mine does, too. And even if this is just a dream… I hope I never wake up._**

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Okay, after a day of taping that was equal parts sweet… and embarrassing, John, Thunder and I spent the rest of the day just taking in the sights of the city that never sleeps. We went to the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, paid our respects at the 9/11 Memorial, even ate at Ray's Pizza... although I can't remember which; this place has so fucking many of them. This particular one had an outside eating area so Thunder could hang out, too. And this was when John nearly had a heart attack when I told him I hated pepperoni. The look he had on his face, I thought I was going to have to give him the Heimlich again.

"You WHAT!?" He asked in mock shock. "How can you not like pepperoni? That's-that's unheard of! I-you DO know I'm part Italian, right?"

"Yeah, what's that got to do with anything?" I smirk.

"That's like a slap in the face to us!" He chuckled.

"Hey, I love Italian Sausage. Isn't that enough?" I laugh.

"Gwen, you can NOT call yourself a pizza lover-a TRUE pizza lover and not like pepperoni. It's like an unwritten law!"

"Well, it's one that needs to be repealed. I just know the last time I had a slice of pepperoni pizza, I got sick. And I swore myself I'd never eat it again. On top of that, I really don't like the taste of it."

"Well, you probably got it from a crappy place." John surmised.

"It was Pizza Hut." I said in a deadpan voice.

"Oooookay. Not gonna touch that one." I can see John thinking "How am I gonna get her to like pepperoni?" He then looks at me with a smirk and hands me a slice of his. "Well, Ray's was here LONG before Pizza Hut. They know how to do pepperoni right. Have a bite of mine. If you still don't like it, I'll let the matter go."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart." He used his index finger to draw an "X" over his broad chest and I'm sitting here thinking I should be doing that… but he needed to take his shirt off first. When he flashed me those damn dimples, I take his slice of pepperoni and take a bite. After a few minutes…

"Well? What do you think?"

After a minute of chewing, I just shrugged my shoulders.

"Eh, it's okay. I'd still take sausage over it, though. Sorry." I say honestly.

"Hey, it's cool." John smiled. "Different strokes for different folks. I still can't believe you don't like pepperoni…"

"Hey! You promised you'd leave it alone."

"I had my fingers crossed." He laughed and stuck his tongue out at me. I look down and I see Thunder with his paws over his eyes and I just chuckle.

"I know, sweetie; it's such a heel move." I laugh.

"Oh, I got your 'heel move'!" John laughed as he messed up my hair with his one good arm. I just screamed out in laughter and when he was done, I looked like I stuck my finger in a light socket… and that just made John laugh even more.

"Oh, that's just priceless! I gotta take a picture!"

"Don't you dare…" Before I could finish my threat, I see a flash and there was John holding up his smart phone. He dared. "You know… for a guy holding a smart phone, that was a really dumb move." I smirk.

"Oh, really? Whatcha gonna do about it?" He smirked back.

I just sat there for a few second and before John could do anything, I reached over and started tickling him. The laughter coming from him was enough to turn the heads of a few bystanders and some of the patrons eating inside.

**"HAH-HAHAHA! GWE-HAHAHA GWEN STOP!"** He laughed as I tickled his sides and ribs. Okay, maybe it was an excuse to touch his torso… but it's working, right? He kept holding his phone just out of my reach so I kept tickling to make him lower his arm.

"Are you gonna delete that pic?"

**"HAHAHA! HELL NO!"** He laughed. "I'm making it my-HAHAHAHA-new wallpaper!"

I just shook my head and kept tickling him. My hands went close to his abs and I think I hit a sensitive spot because his laughing got louder and he really tried to get away from me.

**"I CAN'T BREATHE!"** He laughed.** "THUNDER! HELP! CALL OFF YOUR MAMA!"**

As if he was his dog instead of mine, Thunder started barking at me; but I can tell it's out of play.

"I'll stop when he agrees to delete that pic!" I giggle. After a few more minutes of tickling, John finally managed to gasp out a reply.

"Alright!" He laughed. "**YOU WIN!** I'll delete it… now stop tickling me before I pass out!"

"I knew you'd see it my way." I smirk and I finally stop. I see John's face and besides his dimples popping like nobody's business, his face is flushed from laughing so hard and so long. I hear him taking these deep breaths and I have to admit it was turning me on. After a few minutes, John looked up at me and just whispered…

"You… are… **EVIL!**" And we laughed again as he deleted that awful pic.

"Serves you right for messing up my hair." I chuckle as I get up to go to the bathroom. "I look like the end result of a one-night stand between Don King and Sonic the Hedgehog! I'll be right back. Thunder, you stay with John, sweetie." As I make my way to the ladies' room to try to get my doo back to normal, I think about what I just learned. John's ticklish. That deserves further exploration later… could be a lot of fun.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

Note to self: never take a picture of Gwen with her hair messed up. Okay, my head's spinning, I'm breathless and I'm seeing double… and I'm just recovering from being nearly tickled to death. As I catch my breath for the, I think third time since meeting Gwen, I sit back in my chair and I look down at my left hand.

"She has really soft hair." I say to myself. I wouldn't mind running my fingers through it again. As I wait for Gwen to come back, I feel this tingling sensation all over my body, especially where she tickled me and I remember the last time I felt these sparks-when we kissed. It's that same electricity and I'm finding myself craving it more and more. If there weren't so many people, I'd take her on this table when she came back. As I'm thinking this, I lean my head back and close my eyes and I'm breathing hard again. It's not everyone who can leave you breathless by just thinking about them. Unbeknownst to me… Gwen had come back to the table with her hair fixed and little Thunder… neglected to bark to let me know this because the next thing I heard were the first words she ever spoke to me the day we met…

"Are you alright?" She whispered in my ear and it startled me a little bit. She was so close, I could feel her warm breath caress the skin.

When I finally open my eyes, I see her looking at me kinda weird. And I'm talking 'when we first met at the club' weird.

"You're still breathing hard. I didn't know my tickling had that kind of effect on you." She said.

Oh… if she only knew.

"Huh? Oh, y-yeah. Yeah, I'll be fine in a minute." I stammer.

"Good. I was worried I'd have to call 911 for you." She chuckled as she sat down.

"Nah, I'm good. But speaking of hospitals, I have to get to the airport and go back to rehab soon." I said sadly. I saw the smile on her face fall and I really felt like a heel.

"When do you have to go back?"

"My plane leaves in a couple of hours. I wish I didn't have to, but I was lucky Doctor Andrews gave me this. He's got rep for not releasing patients before their rehab is done." I tell her.

"Yeah… and you just shot that all to Hell. You do realize that, right?" She smirked at me.

Okay, maybe she does have a point.

"Hey, I had a really good reason." I told her with a smile. "I told him my playing hooky was in the name of lo-" I stalled. I don't know why I stalled. I guess I didn't want to scare her off by saying the "L" word too soon or maybe I still don't know if she feels the same way I do. The last thing I want to do is wreck what we have before knowing if it can go further. "I told him there was someone special I missed really badly.

She saw her looking down and I knew she was blushing. I watched as she pulled a bit of her black hair behind her ear.

"I was missing you, too." She said quietly. Man, it was killing me to have to leave her again. I have to remember that I'll be back on Monday, but in the meantime, this weekend's gonna suck ass. "I guess we better make the time we have before you go to the airport count."

"I agree." I say to her. Personally, I'd pick just holding her in my arms… well, arm… until I had to go. After we finish our food, we spend the rest of that time just sightseeing when an idea hit me. "Hey, check that out." I point to one of those photo booths. Perfect!

"A photo booth! We have to do this!" I hear her say with excitement.

We walk to the booth and climb in. Gwen has Thunder in her arms and I plunk a quarter into the machine. Now, the thing about these machines is you have to think fast because you only have a few seconds to strike a pose, meaning… we're gonna see some silly pics.

"You ready?" I ask.

"Ready as we'll ever be." Gwen chuckled.

We got in position for the first picture. We went with the traditional arms over each other's shoulders and Thunder was in the middle. ***flash*** That's one down. I decided to throw up my "Hustle, Loyalty, Respect" with my one good arm and I held Thunder with my other while Gwen threw up deuces and had a little bit of a gangsta pose. Thunder just put one paw up and the machine took that pic. I didn't know what the next one was gonna be… until Gwen grabbed me and put me in a headlock while putting MY hat on her head. Thunder playfully grabbed my shirt and started pulling while I pretended to be shocked by this. We but had silly expressions on our faces as the flash went off for our third picture. Now, I know what the last one should be. I want one more kiss before I board that plane back to the Doc and rehab. So, I put my arm around Gwen's shoulder again and her soft hair brushes against it. I turn to face her and my eyes are closed. I lean in for my kiss and I feel a tongue rake over my lips. Now, I'm sitting here thinking "man, now this is a going-away kiss" because I think it's Gwen. I hear the flash go off but when I open my eyes, I'm in for a shock because the one I think I'm kissing isn't Gwen… IT'S HER DOG! YUCK! The last picture is of me making out with a Yorkie!

"Oh… **NOT COOL!**" I spit and laugh.

"Sorry! I couldn't resist!" She laughed. Thunder looked like he was about to toss his kibbles and bits. How does he think I feel? I just kissed a dog and I don't care how cute he is; I didn't like it! After spitting and gargling with Orange Crush for about 5 minutes, I look at Gwen laughing at me and I can't stay mad at her. Maybe this is fate's way of saying I was moving a little too fast.

"Nah, it's cool. I just hope you're giving Thunder Scope-flavored dog treats." I laugh. Then, the two strips of photos slide out of the machine and we look at it.

"There are those dimples." Gwen chuckled.

"And you look better in my hat than I do." I say with a smile. I wonder what she'd look like wearing my shirt? Okay, slow; remember?

"And, I'm sorry for doing that to you, Thunder." Gwen smirked as she nuzzled the dog's nose.

"Thunder!?" I laughed. "What about me? I was the one Frenched by a Yorkie."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, John." And to further apologize, she kissed me on the cheek… for obvious reasons. "Forgive me?"

She may not be as good at the puppy dog eyes and pout like Thunder and I are, but she just looked at me with those big brown eyes and I was ready to do anything she asked.

"I guess so. Try as I might, I can't stay mad at you." I smirked. I looked down at my watch and, unfortunately, It's getting close to the time when I have to be at the airport. As much as I hate to go, I know I have to so I look at Gwen with sadness in my eyes. "Wanna see me off?"

"Do you even need to ask?" She said. "Let's go."

I call for a cab to take the three of us to our respective hotels and to the airport. Once there, we wait for my flight to be called.

"So, what's on tap for you till Monday?" I ask her.

"Well, I have a house show in Glen Falls so that's why I'm getting a ticket, too." She said holding up hers. "Then I'm off until Monday unless Mr. McMahon finds something for me to do in the meantime."

"I just hope he doesn't work you too hard." I smile and then I hear my flight being called. "I want to get well enough for us to start our dance lessons back up."

"I want that, too. It's boring without something to do in between commentating." Gwen admitted. "I mean besides hanging out with the girls."

"I'm sure you'll find something. There's always the internet." I say. "You could check out some fan fiction sites."

"Are you kidding?" She cringed. "Maybe I could play Bejeweled or Angry Birds." She laughed as she walked me to the gate. "You get better soon. See you Monday? Or are you gonna surprise me this weekend?"

"Well I had planned to break out of the hospital but it's hard to climb those walls with one arm, so…" I laugh. The line gets shorter and it's almost my turn to show the attendant my ticket. "Well, I'm up next. How about one more hug for the road?"

"Come here."

Without hesitation, I take Gwen in my one good arm and give her the tightest hug I could. She still smells a bit like the pizza from earlier, but I don't care; this just gives me something to remind me of our time together in the Big Apple. If I had my way, I'd stay like this forever, but the attendant had other ideas.

"Um, your ticket, please, sir?" She smirked.

"Oh… sorry." Okay, so the girl makes me have tunnel vision. I grab my ticker and hand it to the attendant who looked at it.

"Enjoy your flight, Mr. Cena."

"Thank you." I smile as I grab my rolling suitcase. I take one last look at Gwen and Thunder who's stuck in his carrier… poor guy. "I'll see you both at Albany."

"See you then." She smiled and thunder let out a bark as if to say "See ya!"

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

My first time in NYC was incredible, but this was the part I'm beginning to hate-saying goodbye. I watch as John walks down the corridor to his plane and I go to the window to watch as his plane takes off with him on it.

'Man, Thunder. This weekend's gonna crawl by so slowly." I say to my faithful furbaby. I go back to my seat to wait for my flight to get called and I take out the pictures we took at the photo booth. Each window represented a memory I planned to cherish forever. At that moment, I heard my flight being called so I tucked the photo strip into my day planner, picked up Thunder's carrier and went to my gate.

"And so begins a boring weekend." I chuckle to myself as I handed my ticket to the attendant.

"Enjoy your flight, ma'am. You, too, cutie!" She said waving to Thunder.

"Thank you." After putting Thunder on the belt to be loaded onto the plane, I went through the corridor to board. I wish this airline let pets fly with you.

-Later that night-

Okay, this flight wasn't so bad-first one without someone to talk me down. Of course, I was asleep for about 90% of it, so that helped. After I pick up Thunder from the conveyor belt, my phone rings.

_"Hey, girl!"_ It was Kaitlyn.

"Hey! What's going on?"

_"Nothing much. Me and Layla are in Glen Falls for a house show tomorrow night."_

"What a coinkydink! So am I. Just landed."

_"Awesome! Which hotel are you staying in?"_ I give her the details and I could hear the smile on her face. _"Sweet! We're staying there, too. Come up when you check in!"_

"Will do! Later!"

_"Later."_

We both hang up and I got to thinking why only Kaitlyn and Layla were here.

"I guess not everyone goes to the same place at the same time, huh?" I ask Thunder who was more than anxious to get out of his carrier. "Okay, we'll catch a cab and go to the hotel so you can eat and… handle your business." I laugh. It didn't take long for us to get to the hotel and once we were checked in, I sent a text to Kaitlyn asking for her room number.

_"Room 1324. Come on up!"_

_"On our way."_ I text back. "You wanna see the girls?" I ask Thunder and in hindsight… I know it's a dumb question. Not surprisingly, he barks and wags his tail. A few minutes later, I knock on the door and we're greeted by Kaitlyn.

"Gwen! Hey, little guy!" She took the carrier and let my little dog out, and was he happy to get out of there. "Aw, still not used to that thing, huh?" He licked her face to answer "No, I hate that thing!"

"So, how was the Big Apple?" Layla asked me.

"It was amazing! I think I could get used to traveling; flying… I'm still working on it." I chuckle.

"You will. Now that you're here, I have to say that the girls and I caught Live with Kelly and Michael." She smirked. I just plopped down on the bed and hung my head. I mean, of course they were gonna see it; it's live t.v. "So… is there something you want to tell us?"

"What's to tell?" I say.

"Oh, come on! John calls you on the show; I know there's something there. And don't say he's trying to embarrass you." Kaitlyn giggled.

"You guys are reading too much into this." I say and I'm not sure if I'm trying to convince them…. or me.

"I don't understand your mindset sometimes. You're the only one who doesn't see what's painfully obvious to everyone else." Layla added.

"And that is?" I ask and it just makes the two Divas look at Thunder with worry in their eyes.

"Duh! He likes you. I might even guess that he's fallen for you." She then looks at Thunder. "I don't know how you do it, little guy."

"You really think so?"

"You're really as thick as Yorkshire pudding, Gwen." Layla sighed as she took out her iPad and went on Tout. "Does… this look familiar?" Kaitlyn and I both watch the Tout after I finished my appearances yesterday where John stole a kiss from me. I don't need to look up because I know Kaitlyn and Layla are both wearing big smirks right now.

"Gwen! How can you be so blind? If that's not a clear sign he likes you… I dunno what is!" Kaitlyn practically squealed.

"Yeah, well… wait till you see The Chew tomorrow." I say in a low voice.

"What? What happens there?" Layla asked with renewed interest.

"Uh-uh. I'm not saying another word. You're just gonna have to watch."

"Oh, believe me; we will." Kaitlyn chuckled.

All of a sudden, I feel… sad and I don't even know why.

"Hey, I'm gonna turn in a bit early. I'll see you both tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure. We'll talk later. You get some rest."

"Thanks."

I said good night to the girls and go to my room where I plop down on my own bed this time. Thunder puts his paws on my legs and I pick him up in my arms. He always could tell when something was bugging me.

"I dunno. I mean, is Layla right? Does everyone else see something I don't?" I ask my fur baby. "Ugh, why does this have to be so complicated?" I gently put Thunder down on his bed before changing for bed myself. I keep thinking about what happened earlier today and I have no idea why I'm having such a hard time seeing what everyone else does. I guess I'm still having a hard time believing a guy… ANY guy… especially a guy like John Cena would be interested in… me. "Well, I guess I can sleep on it. Night, boy." I say to my pet. Thunder barks up at me and we both drift into a night of slumber. Do I even have to say who I'll be dreaming about?

-The Next Day-

That morning, John called me after he got back to the hospital in Alabama and we spent about an hour or two talking about yesterday. I'm glad he arrived alright. He told me that he got calls and texts from some of the guys teasing him about that stunt he pulled and what he did on my Tout. Now, I know I usually stay in the shadows; being the center of attention can be exhausting. After our phone date, I spent the rest of morning working out and taking in the sights and I also managed to catch Dee up with everything up to now. And if I know my BFF, she's gonna be calling me when she sees The Chew; she's probably saving up for one big phone call because I know she saw Live with Kelly and Michael and saw that Tout. Oh, boy… I got some 'splaining to do later. I'm in my room with Thunder when I hear a knock on the door.

"Coming." I shout. When I answer it, I see Kaitlyn and Layla.

"It's almost time! Turn on your t.v." Kaitlyn said with excitement. I look at the clock and I see it's almost time for The Chew to come on. Oh… boy. I'll never hear the end of this one.

The three of us run to the nearest couch and I click on the plasma screen. They finally get to my segment and Layla compliments me on my outfit.

"You look beautiful. Nice wardrobe choice!" She smiled.

"See? You do have a little fashionista trying to get out." Kaitlyn chuckled.

"Thanks. I have my moments." I smile.

As the segment rolls on, they get to the part where a little ball of "fur and cuteness" walks onto the set.

"Oh, my God!" They laughed as Layla picked up the furball in question.

"You just couldn't resist, could you?" The British Diva cooed. "Oh, I know. That food smelled way too good to stay in the back."

"So, what happened that you didn't want to tell u-" Kaitlyn stopped mid-sentence when she saw John come on to surprise me. "Oh, NO WAY!"

"Now, Gwen, come on! He left rehab to come see you!" Layla squealed. "This is so romantic!"

I was about to say something when all our phones start ringing. I look down at mine and it's Dee so I'm guessing the other girls are calling Layla and Kaitlyn's phones.

"Hello?" I say.

_"**GIRL!** I just saw John on The Chew with you! And yes, I saw Live, as well! **DISH!** And I mean **NOW!**"_

I had to hold the phone away from my ear she was screaming so loud. Geez!

"Rosa! Hang on! Can everyone get on Skype? You can? Good. Get on and we'll do a conference call." Layla said as everyone hung up. "Hey, Gwen. Do you have your laptop?"

"Yeah. Lemme get it. Dee, can you get on Skype right now?"

_"Yeah, I'm at home. We close early on Fridays. I'll be on in a sec."_ Dee says before hanging up.

I go to my computer bag that's on my bed and take out my laptop. After hooking it up on a nearby desk, I log on to Skype. A few minutes later, Rosa, Alicia, Dee and Kelly are all online so I set up the conference call. Soon, the four faces in the screen and the two sitting next to me are all looking at me with stupid grins. Is there a hole I can crawl in?

"Okay, lemme start off this conference call by saying, Gwen… shame on you for not filling us in on this!" Alicia smiled.

"Hey, in my defense, it was all a surprise to me, too." Gwen said.

"Okay, we'll let that slide; but let's get to the real matter." Kelly interrupted. "John left rehab to come see you! I don't know any guy who'd do that!"

"Yeah, that's like the sports entertainment equivalent to a soldier going A.W.O.L. to see his girlfriend!" Rosa compared. "It was so awesome!"

"Yeah, well, Eve didn't think it was so awesome." Alicia frowned. "Bitch. She griped on and on about how she can't see why John would choose you over her."

Eve. Again with Eve. What is her deal with me?

"I don't get it. I never said anything to her when I first met her. When she stepped to me, yeah, I told her off."

**"THAT'S MY GIRL!"** Dee smiled. "I knew some of me rubbed off on you."

"Thanks, but still… why would she be jealous of me anyway?"

"Maybe because you're not like Eve; you're not a stuck-up, mean-spirited little slut like she is. You're like her polar opposite." Kelly explained. "Besides, she's just jealous because he left the hospital JUST to see you-something he never did for anyone else."

"That's what I'm trying to get through to her, but… she's so hard-headed!" Layla laughed.

I'm not hard-headed… much. But there's a good reason for how I'm feeling right now.

"Guys, I hear what you're saying, but…" I began.

"But what?" Dee asked. She could tell this was going to be hard for me because she knows what I went through better than anyone. "Gwen, talk to us. We're all friends."

I just sit back in my chair and let out a long, drawn out sigh. Thunder must have sensed I was feeling bad because he padded over to me and put his paw on my leg.

"Thanks, sweetie." I say to him. "It's not that I can't see it or I don't want to see it; it's more like I'm having a hard time seeing it."

"What do you mean?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Remember what I told you guys at the mall that day?" When they all nodded I continued. "Yeah, well, there were a few guys that did say they 'liked me'; unfortunately, I came to find out they were all just cruel jokes. Each time I thought I'd finally find that one guy who likes me as much as I like them and it just turns out they were just using me as the butt of their jokes. They were like 'let's all poke fun at the girl who never gets asked out'. It was really bad during Valentine's Day so when a guy does say he likes me, I can't bring myself to believe it. From then on, I just told myself I'd never let myself get hurt like that again. I did enough of that through high school and college; that's enough." I could hear everyone's reaction and I just looked down at the keyboard. I really didn't want to elaborate on that anymore; it was too painful.

"So because of that, you don't trust men at all." Layla inquired.

"Right. Truth be told, the only man I trust is Thunder. At least I know he loves me regardless." And I picked my little fur baby up and put him in my lap.

"So how do you feel about him?"

"What do you mean? I love him. I can't see my life without Thunder." I say and that makes everyone groan.

"Not Thunder… **JOHN!**" The girls laugh out loud.

"Oh." I say quietly. "Well, I feel the same way about John."

Now while I'm petting Thunder, the girls are all looking at each other with varying degrees of concern. Kelly was the first to break the awkward silence.

"Gwen?"

"Hmm?"

"Why didn't you say the "L" word when you said you felt that way about John? You weren't afraid to say that about Thunder."

"That's exactly why I didn't say it. I'm afraid." I blurt out.

"Why should you be afraid to tell someone how you feel?" Alicia asked me.

"Because I don't want to put myself out there only to find out he doesn't feel the same way." I say truthfully. "That would kill me."

"But, Gwen, that's what love's all about-taking chances." Dee said.

"Yeah, well, with the exception of accepting this job, taking chances hasn't exactly worked out for me. If I can help it, I try to avoid it at all costs."

As I said before, I don't go into ALL the details-only Dee knows my deepest and darkest secrets. Well, her and Thunder. When it came to love, I was always the loser and when you lose 999 out of 1000 times at bat, you just don't want to play anymore. I know what they're gonna say: "What about number 1000? It could be the one." Maybe; but they don't know how my luck runs. I do. Number 1000 will be just like the other 999 and honestly, I don't think I can handle any more strikeouts.

"But this time could be different. For all you know, John could be the one you've been waiting for and vice versa." Kaitlyn reasoned. "Isn't that worth going for?"

Kaitlyn does have a point. Maybe this time, it'll be MY turn to find love. Maybe I'll have everyone wishing they were in MY shoes instead of the other way around. I guess I was lost in my own thoughts because I soon hear the girls trying to get my attention.

"Gwen? Hey, Gwen. Say something."

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking." I replied finally.

"About what?"

"About… about how nice it would be to finally have my turn at love for once."

"Girl, love's just like Double Dutch. You don't wait for your turn… just jump in!" Dee said. Then there was a long pause from everyone. Me, too; but then again, I know where Dee's coming from.

"Okay, I've never heard it put like that before, but it makes TOTAL sense!" Alicia said. "By the way, I'm stealing that one, Dee."

"LIKE HELL YOU ARE!" She laughed and that instantly lightened the mood. Dee… LOVE YOU!

"Okay, I guess you guys are right." I admit.

"Of course we are. Just kidding." Kelly smiled.

"Just trust what we're telling you. John is crazy about you, Chica. Otherwise he wouldn't have gone through all this for you." Rosa clarified.

I'm about to say something else when my ringtone goes off letting me know I have an incoming text. I take it out and it's from John.

_"Hey, baby girl. I'm almost done with this afternoon's rehab. R U busy?"_

I just smile and I notice Layla looking over my shoulder.

"Um, I think we should cut this meeting short, ladies. Looks like Gwen needs some alone time."

"Text from John?" Kelly asked and I just nodded with a growing smile. "Say no more. We'll talk to you later."

"Okay; and thanks for the talk, guys."

"That's what we're here for. Anyway, we'll let you go so you can talk to your soon-to-be-boyfriend." Rosa teased.

"Ha ha. Bye, guys."

One by one, we log off and I'm left with Layla and Kaitlyn getting up to leave. As they do, I text back to John.

_"Just got done talking 2 Dee and the Divas. I'm free now."_

_"Gr8! TTY in a bit."_

I put my phone on the desk when I hear Kaitlyn call out to me.

"Hey, we'll see you later tonight at the show."

"Okay, later." I smile. Now that I'm finally alone, I text back that everyone's gone. My phone rings a few minutes later. "Hello?"

_"Hey, baby girl."_

"Hey. How was rehab?"

_"Still a bitch, but my elbow's moving better."_ John answered. _"So, you, Dee and the Divas were talking. What about?"_

"Just stuff. Mainly about The Chew."

_"Ah. I had a feeling."_ I heard him chuckle. _"Randy called me about it just before I called you."_

"What did he say?"

_"He said I was nuts to leave rehab so soon."_

"Figures." I smirked.

_"But he also said he understood why I did. Like I said, I had a very good reason."_

"And that reason would be?"

_"I'm talking to her."_

If you haven't figured it out, I have this HUGE smile on my face.

_"So, what did Dee and the girls think of my surprise?"_

"They thought it was the most romantic thing they've ever seen."

_"What did you think?"_

"I think it's the nicest thing a guy's ever done for me." I admit.

_"I'm glad you liked it. I got chewed out by the doc when I got back, but seeing that smile on your face was worth it."_

Why can't more guys be like him? WHY!?

"You really aren't like any guy I've ever met."

_"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"_

"It's very good."

_"Well, you're not like any woman I've ever met. And yes, that's a compliment."_

"That's good to know. Hey, I have to meet with the guys for tonight's show. Call me later?"

_"You don't even need to ask. Talk to you later tonight, baby girl."_

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of you calling me that."

_"Good, because I'm not planning on stopping. Bye."_

"Bye." And again, I hear what sounds like him sending me a kiss over the phone before he hangs up. When I finally do, I look at Thunder who's wagging his tail. "I know, I'm sorry I didn't let you talk to him. I'll let you later tonight, okay?" He let out a cute bark and jumped up to lick my face. "Okay. Now, I have to go meet with creative. If I can't get Layla or Kaitlyn to puppysit, I guess you're coming with me."

**"We'll puppysit!"** I hear from the other side of my door. I then hear Layla admonishing the Diva with the two-toned hair and my head just drops. How did I know they'd be eavesdropping? Thunder let out a puppy style groan that mirrored what I was thinking. I walk to the door and open it to find Layla and Kaitlyn bickering on the other side. To make sure they know they were caught, I clear my throat.

"Uh… hi, Gwen." Kaitlyn said sheepishly and I just roll my eyes.

"How long?"

"Uh… we never left?"

I just look down at my little companion and he just looked back up as if to say "They're YOUR friends."

"Well, wince you're here, could you puppysit for me? I have a meeting with Creative."

"Of course we'll watch Thunder. Come here." Thunder happily obeyed and went to Layla. He's a dog in every sense of the word, but at least he's a cutie pie.

"Thanks; you guys are lifesavers. Now, I better get going. Later!" I say to the girls before I bolt.

* * *

-Monday Night: Albany, New York-

I'm in the Times Union Center in Albany to call RAW with Michael Cole and Jim Ross. Unfortunately, I'm not calling ANYTHING because that walrus, Paul Heyman is holding the show hostage because his panties are in a bunch about a mistake the ref made. They show footage of the tag team match between John Cena and Sheamus against C.M. Punk and Alberto Del Rio and Paul's demanding that the ref from that match comes out to resign and apologize on national television. I would never apologize to that bulldog-lookin' asshole! I'd rather get fired first. Poor guy! It was his first match; he was nervous. I can relate. I was nervous my first night on the job so I feel for him. Now, he's getting humiliated by Heyman and Punk after Brad reveals that A.J. hired him because they needed more officials. They asked how he's a man. How are THEY men for picking on a newbie ref? Spineless, gutless wonders! I know; Punk's playing the part of a heel to perfection, but I personally don't think Heyman's acting. This is how he really is. He just called A.J. an "idiot general manager" and said if she had half a brain, she'd fire him. Yeah, CUE THE MUSIC!

*Light It Up plays*

Can I call it or what? A.J. comes down in a business suit/short shorts ensemble-which is cute on her-and tells Brad he can go. He's not off the hook just yet; I can feel it. Now, Heyman's assuming that she's out there to reverse the ref's decision.

"Well, when you assume… you kinda make an ASS out of you and me. But mostly you."

You tell 'em, girl! She just told the twosome that she wasn't gonna stand there and let them hold HER show hostage. There's a lot of fight in that tiny body. Now, Punk comes in and tries to get in her face by throwing her past in it. Now, back home, I started back to watching WWE a few weeks before their 1000's episode and I caught a little bit of the drama surrounding A.J., Punk and Daniel Bryan. Even then I thought it was kinda Looney Tunes. Still do. Now after Punk talks down to her and says he's the reason for that "skip in her step". She looks like she's about to cry, but then Heyman comes in and does something to replace that frown with a look of disgust. He gets down on one knee and proposes to her! WHAT!? Didn't we do this a few months ago!? He then says he likes them young, dumb, uninhibited and ambitious… SLIMEBALL! A.J., understandably, stands there dumbfounded at the proposal and who could blame her! After a few tense moments, she has this smile… _AND THEN SHE SLAPS THE HOLY HELL OUTTA HIM!_

"You go, girl! I know you had to actually touch him, which is stomach-turning in itself, but it had to be done." I say.

"Heyman is a slimeball!" J.R. replied.

"Slimeball is an understatement." I say.

They break with a picture of Jerry when he had his heart attack and Cole talks about his emotional return when he interviews him later tonight. I can't wait.

-RAW: later-

(A/N: I know I'm skipping a WHOLE lot of what happened on RAW, but since this is already at the 17-page marker on my Word app, I'm just using a few choice moments. )

After the match between Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler-with added entertainment from Vickie, R-Truth and Little jimmy-We talk about John and his elbow surgery and J.R said that Dr. Andrews, who fixed up John's elbow, said it looked like a junkyard in there. Damn! I didn't know it was that bad.

"That's bad. And John Cena would send out a Tweet just a few hours after the surgery this past Tuesday and it said: Leaving #the AndrewsInstitute. What a super surgeon #DrJames Andrews is. U guys have my word. I will do whatever I can to be active ASAP…". I relay to the fans.

They then cut to a picture of John in his Rise Above Cancer gear and his right arm in a sling and Jim tells everyone that he's here live tonight. Good thing that pic is there because I'm smiling. After a segment with Mick Foley and C.M. Punk and a match between the Miz and Ryback, we get to the restaurant scene where Daniel Bryan and Kane are still doing "therapy" And for some reason, it turns into a really disturbing rendition of the scene from "When Harry Met Sally". I never saw the movie and after that… performance, I never will. That's just freaky. They then cut to a pic of the tag team champions and we find out that we get to decide the official name for their team.

"Oh, I am SO getting in on this!" I say gleefully as I grab my phone.

"Excited, are we?" Michael Cole chuckled.

"You have no idea! Well, it's up to you, WWE Universe to decide the official name for the tag team champions on RAWActive! We're gonna give you the choices a little bit later tonight on Monday Night Raw!" I announce.

After we come back from break and a promo with A.J., the refs, Alberto Do-Over, Mr. Jennifer Hudson and Ricardo Rodriguez, there's a match between Wade Barrett and Tyson Kid. After Wade wins his match, he just shoots a glare right at me. Apparently he's still sore about our last encounter.

"Whoa, what was that look about?" Cole asks me.

"I dunno. I guess someone sneezed in his fish and chips." I say with a shrug.

They cut to a picture of EMT's working on Jerry and putting him on the gurney and Cole talks a bit about that night because he was there. He says he's on the road to recover and says that Jerry wishes he could be in Albany tonight. Cole later says that Jerry will join us live via satellite from Memphis next.

We come back from break and signs with "Long Live the King" are everywhere! It's awesome! Cole says that they will attempt to go live via satellite from jerry's home and he talks about the night he had his heart attack at ringside. I can hear the emotion in his voice and I can tell that the incident scared him. Michael quoted Doc Sampson as saying that it's a miracle that Jerry's so far along in his recovery after the trauma he experienced. The crowd erupted in cheers as Cole asked everyone to welcome Jerry Lawler live via satellite from his home in Memphis. As expected, he got a huge standing ovation from the crowd, me and J.R. included.

-A few minutes later-

"Now the question, I think, everybody cannot wait to hear the answer to-when is the King going to march down that stage and take his rightful spot on his throne at the announce table, here live On Monday Night Raw?" Cole asks.

The crowd blows up because they ALL want him to come back. Jerry flashes his smile and, in his raspy voice, he gives his answer.

"Well, Michael, lemme just say, first of all, it was probably just a matter of time." He took a moment to clear his throat before continuing. "You gotta realize that once RAW went from two hours to three hours, I defy anybody to sit next to you, Michael Cole for three hours every week and NOT have a heart attack." Michael Cole had this big smile because he knew Jerry was kidding even before the King of Memphis wrestling even said it. "Speaking of, I see our newest commentator over there with Good Ol' J.R. Gwen, right?"

I stand up and they hand me a house mic. Oh, boy. Another spotlight moment.

"Hey, King." I smile. "I speak for everyone when I say I'm glad you're up and around. You're looking good." The crowd cheers.

"So how's it going sitting next to Michael Cole doing this every week now?" Jerry asks me.

"It's great, but I'm just keeping the seat warm for you until your return." I say.

"Well, I think you're doing a great job and you sure make the table look a lot better. That's for sure." Jerry chuckles. "And don't give me that 'keeping my seat warm'; as far as I'm concerned, you're a permanent part of the team! What do you guys think?" The crowd cheers louder and I just shake my head.

"Thanks, Jerry, but this is your moment! Lemme sit down! Get well soon and hurry back, okay?"

"I will. Believe me. Well, my voice is getting worse, but I'm leaving my return up to the doctors. As soon as they give me the clearance and if my voice wasn't so messed up, I'd love to be in Albany tonight. As soon as they tell me I can come back to RAW, believe you me, the King will be on the first thing smokin' back to Monday Night RAW!"

"Well, King, it's wonderful to see you. Continue with your recovery. Can't wait to talk to you again. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE KING! HALL OF FAMER-JERRY LAWLER!"

And his music hits to another standing ovation. There's a 6-man tag team match with Del Rio, Rodriguez and Otunga against Sheamus, Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara and Sheamus brings home the win with his patented Brogue Kick. J.R. tells the WWE Universe that John will be here live tonight to tell us how serious his surgery was and if Punk will accept his challenge at Hell in a Cell. After a short break, they cut to a scene where Kane and Daniel are "stepping into each other's shoes with Kane eating a salad and Daniel with a huge plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Man, that looks good. Kane, eats a tiny bite of lettuce, but looks like he survived it. Daniel ate a bite of meatball and… blows chucks all over Dr. Shelby. They pan back to Kane and he calmly calls out "Check, please." Couldn't have said it better myself. Now, Cole is standing in front of our commentator's table and says it's time to choose the new name for Daniel and Kane's tag team. FINALLY! He tells us to go to Twitter and go RAWActive and then shows us the names: Team Teamwork, Team Friendship and Team Hell No. I see the names and, honestly, there's only ONE name that fits these two so I go to Twitter and cast my vote. We come back from break and the tag team champions are in the ring waiting to see what their new name will be. Drumroll and…. TEAM HELL NO WINS! But their celebration is short lived because Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow launch a sneak attack and beat them down before running up the ramp and announcing that they just formed a team called Team Rhodes Scholars. I hate to admit it, but that's a good name, but they're now a team, too? Wonderful. Can you tell my excitement? '~'

We come back from another break and we have a Diva's tag team match. Layla and Alicia Fox vs. Beth Phoenix and… ugh, Eve. She flashes that fake smile like she's Miss America and then throws a scowl when she looks at me. I still don't see why she has a problem with me but I just shrug it off.

"Wow, you're not Eve's favorite person, are you?" J.R. asks me.

"Well, she's not exactly on my Christmas list, either. No big." I answer.

The match goes on with Layla's team having a clear advantage until Alicia tags in and momentum swings to the other side. As Beth pulls Alicia into their corner, Eve tags herself in and goes after Layla. Camera hog. She then hits a swinging neckbreaker and pins Alicia for the win… shit! When the ref hands Eve her belt and raises both wrestlers' arms, Beth looks less than pleased that her partner just butted in when she had things well in hand. I don't blame her; I wish Beth would just Glam Slam her right then and there. Cole made the comment that it seemed like Beth did all the work and Eve took all the credit-that's EXACTLY what happened! Now, I hear Kaitlyn's ring music and she walks out on a crutch with her ankle wrapped up. She thanked Eve for the well-wishing tweets and says she scored the security footage from T.D. Gardens when she was attacked. She couldn't see her attacker's face; her hair was another story. Kaitlyn says her attacker was a blonde and Eve immediately accuses Beth who denies it. Now, I was there. The attacker was slender in build which means it couldn't have been Beth. And the blonde hair… I dunno. Something's fishy about that, too. If a criminal is okay about showing their hair-chances are, the hair's fake so I don't think it was a blonde at all. Anyway, Beth and Eve argue in the ring and the Glamazon calls Eve a liar-which is true. When Beth tries to convince Kaitlyn that Eve's lying, she's attacked with a boot the mid-section and a swinging neckbreaker from the liar of the WWE.

(A/N: I'm skipping the Brodus Clay/Tensai match and going right to John. ;) )

After we come back from another break, I hear John's music hit and when he comes out with his arm in a sling, I hear more boos than cheers. Haters. For obvious reasons, he doesn't come out in his usual fashion. Cole makes reference to the pink and black gear John's wearing to raise funds and awareness of the fight against breast cancer. He also mentions Criss Angel who's the Social Media Ambassador tonight which is SO cool! I love his show! The tweet he sent out said "Diggin the pink gear JohnCena is wearing. #riseabovecancer #RAW #WWE." Now he calls for a house mic and when the music stops, I hear the mixed reaction of the crowd and it personally sickens me.

"As always, there's mixed emotions about me being here tonight." And the crowd lets him know he's right. "I feel the same way; I wasn't supposed to be here. But with my future now in question, I wanted to come and say 'thank you' personally."

Whoa! He's not gonna retire early, is he? Maybe take a break or something, but retire? Usually superstars don't come out and say "thank you" unless they're not coming back to the ring.

"I know those guys aren't gonna like this too much, but I personally wanted to thank you for your support… of this." He takes of his pink cap and the camera gets close up on it to show the Rise Above Cancer logo with the Pink ribbon replacing the "I".

John talks about the support the WWE universe has poured into the campaign and how the people at Susan G. Komen can't believe their support. He says he doesn't care how they feel about him, but acknowledges that the WWE is a powerful group of people who should NEVER be counted out. He then thanked everyone for the well wishes… even the Cena haters.

"After the week I've had, you have no idea how good it is to hear that." He says to boos from the front row but then the crowd starts chanting "Cena, Cena!" Now that's what they should be doing! Not booing him. He begins with an apology to Chad Patton and Brad Maddox-try saying that five times fast-whose integrity was called into question by C.M. Punk who he also apologizes for. He says that Punk misquoted him about what he said about defining who he is and he goes into a PG-rated cussing streak that sounds silly if anyone else says it, but when he does with that level of passion and conviction, you know he's dead serious-and desperately trying t keep from turning it into an R-rated rant.

"I did everything I could to keep that PG; I hope it was alright."

He then guaranteed that he's gonna walk into Hell In A Cell and that he's gonna walk in to fight. Just as he was about to get to the good part, Cult of Personality plays and Punk walks out with Hymen-I mean Heyman holding up his belt. After an agonizing 10+ minutes of Punk browbeating John, he say says he's gonna tell us to shut up and put us in our place after he gets done with John. Man, he's convincing as hell! As expected that got a HUGE round of boos. Punk then tells John that he had till the count of 5 to get out of the ring or he was gonna hurt him so bad, it would make the last 8 days seem like a picnic compared to the 8 months of rehab he'd have to go through. He and Heyman turned around and Punk counts down from 5; as they do, everyone sees John pull a lead pipe out of his left pocket and hold it in his hand. When they turn around, Hymen-I mean Heyman scurries out of the ring leaving Punk to get slammed in the stomach by John's lead pipe. NICE SHOT!

**"REAL MEN WEAR PINK! I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT HELL IN A CELL!"** Punk is cringing in pain all the way up the ramp and John holds up the pipe in triumph as his music hits.

"John Cena came prepared tonight! He brought an equalizer!" Cole noted.

"And what an equalizer! That shut him up real quick! Too bad he didn't aim a little higher and smash a few teeth in!" I reply.

"Now **THAT'S** what I call a pipe bomb!" John yells out. You go, boy! Punk is holding on to his belt… and his stomach. I know that had to hurt!

I watch as Punk runs backstage and John carefully climbs out of the ring. He comes over and gives the pip to a lucky fan ringside. I know how she feels; I was in her shoes not too long ago. After doing that, he came over to the announce table and shook Cole and J.R.'s hand and when he got to mine, he gave it a long kiss, the whole time his eyes locked with mine. He went around ringside and shook the hands of a few fans, even giving his cap to a lucky young kid. Backstage, Punk walks by Mick Foley and kicks him in the stomach-bitch ass cowardly move. He's about to walk away, but he turns around and his face turns ghost white when he sees Ryback staring at him.

-After RAW-

After the dark match, I'm backstage with my smartphone shooting footage for my weekly VLog I send to Dee every week. I promised her I would now that I have this job.

"Dee, I hope you saw the show tonight; it was killer! I'll let you know where we're gonna be next week." Every once in a while, I get some of the Superstars to say Hi to Dee when I get to the snack table. I look over and I see John talking to… Eve? Why would he be talking to her? I'm too far away to hear anything, but the next thing I see is them kissing. Yeah… and another dream bites the dust. I didn't want to see anymore so I quietly slip out and make my way out of the arena to the hotel. I didn't think anything would be worse than losing my job at the dance studio… boy, was I wrong.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 14**

Oh, DAMN! After all that, John would just up and do this to Gwen? Well, I dunno about you, but I hope Dee doesn't get wind of this. You know how she is about bad news involving her best friend. Well, what's going to happen now that Gwen caught John kissing another woman? If you wanna know, do 3 things. You know what they are: Read,** REVIEW** and Pass it on! I'll be working on the next chapter as soon as possible. So, till then, LOVE, PEACE AND HAIR GREASE!


	15. DIVA-ine Intervention

Hey, guys! I'm back with another chapter and it DIDN'T TAKE ME A MONTH! LOL I know, gotta love small miracles. Anyway, I hope you guys liked the last chapter because here comes the next one! Oh and I wanna take time to thank everyone for the reviews and if you haven't read it in a while… shame on you! You need to catch up for real! :D Anyway, let's get this started, shall we?

**Disclaimer:** Uh… As usual, Gwen, Dee and Thunder… I own. Anything else… nope! :p

Now, without further ado… **ON WITH THE FIC!**

* * *

**LAST TIME…**

**_After the dark match, I'm backstage with my smartphone shooting footage for my weekly VLog I send to Dee every week. I promised her I would now that I have this job._**

**_"Dee, I hope you saw the show tonight; it was killer! I'll let you know where we're gonna be next week." Every once in a while, I get some of the Superstars to say Hi to Dee when I get to the snack table. I look over and I see John talking to… Eve? Why would he be talking to her? I'm too far away to hear anything, but the next thing I see is them kissing. Yeah… and another dream bites the dust. I didn't want to see anymore so I quietly slip out and make my way out of the arena to the hotel. I didn't think anything would be worse than losing my job at the dance studio… boy, was I wrong._**

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

After RAW ended, I was planning to catch up with Gwen so we could hang a bit before I had to go back to Doc Andrews but before I could, Eve shows and starts talking to me. Why won't this chick take the hint that there's nothing between us and there never will be? Especially not after that stunt she pulled with Zack.

"John! John, I just wanted to say how happy I am to see you back."

"Um… Eve? I'm not back, yet. I just made an appearance for tonight to progress the feud between me and Punk. I have to go back tomorrow morning; now, if you'll excuse me, there's someone else I'd rather talk to." Truth be told, I'd rather talk to anyone instead of Eve… even Thunder.

"W-w-wait. Wait. Before you go, there is something else I want to say." Eve hinted.

"Eve, we really have nothing to s-**MMFFFFMFM FFMFMM**!"

The next thing I knew, Eve kissing me and I'm doing everything in my power to push her away, which is harder with only one arm, without actually hurting her. I don't strike women and I'm not about to start now. It was only a few seconds before I finally pushed her away.

"What the Hell was that?" I asked while wiping every memory of that nasty kiss from my mouth.

"I was just reminding you of what you could have."

"What? Herpes!?" I asked angrily. "Look, Eve. I want you to understand something. You and me… not happening… ever! Besides, I have someone I need to find. Just get over it." With a shake of my head, I walk away to go look for Gwen.

* * *

As John walked away, Eve stood there very satisfied with her handiwork. She caught sight of Gwen walking towards them and made sure to kiss John right in front of her. She was jealous of Gwen from the moment she saw her and in her heart, she wanted John all to herself and Gwen was in the way.

"Couldn't have timed that better myself." She said to herself. "That'll teach that little nobody to embarrass me on live television like that. She'll want nothing more to do with John and he'll be all mine again."

As the manipulative Diva walked down the hallway, a pair of brown eyes and dark brown hair peeked out of a door that was cracked open. The person had heard everything and was appalled by Eve's actions. This had to be fixed and it was going to take someone crazy to do it-crazy… like a fox.

"You won't get away with this." The person said before leaving the area.

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

-Later at the Hotel-

I open the door to my room, rush in and plop face down onto my bed. I'm not crying… yet, but I do scream into my pillow as loudly as I can. How could I get suckered into this so easily? Oh, yeah; I'm desperate. Ugh, I HATE myself for falling for him so fast! I just feel so stupid! I now the fates are laughing at me right now. They put the moat tantalizing carrot in front of me and just as I'm a fingertip away from grabbing it… it gets snatched away! Story of my life and honestly, I'm sick and tired of that happening in my life all the fucking time! I look up at the ceiling and say to whoever or whatever's listening:

"You couldn't let me have this **one**, could you?" I could feel the tears threatening to leave my eyes when I hear someone call out to me.

"Gwen? It's Kelly. I have some of the girls with me."

Man, I forgot Kelly was puppysitting tonight. Any other time, I'd be happy to see them, but with the way I'm feeling, now's not a good time. Unfortunately, they're bringing Thunder back so I have no choice but to let them in.

"Just a second." I call back. "Okay, compose yourself. Don't let on that anything's wrong. You're good at keeping your real feelings hidden; you can do it again." After a few cleansing breaths, I open the door. Thunder leaps from Kaitlyn's arms into mine and the second he did, he whimpered. I may be good at keeping my feelings under wraps, but he isn't.

"Okay, Thunder only does that when something's wrong." Layla observed.

_"Thanks a lot."_ I think to myself. "There's nothing wrong." I fib.

The Divas all look at each other and then back at me like the can see right through me.

"Gwen, we may not know you that well, but we can tell you're a terrible liar." Alicia replied. "Come on, talk to us."

Believe me; I was debating this since I got into the room. Do I tell them or do I keep it to myself? Well… considering nothing stays a secret, I might as well tell them before they find out from someone else.

"Okay, I'll tell you. Actually… I'll show you…" But just as I'm about to grab my smartphone, it rings. When I go to get it, I see Dee's number. Oh, SHIT! She's waiting for her update that I usually give her at this time. She's not gonna like the one I have for her tonight. I can't exactly let the phone ring so, reluctantly, I answer it. "Hey, Dee."

_"Hey, girl! You took your sweet time answering the phone. Is something up? You haven't sent your update."_

"Yeah… about that." I stalled.

_"What's wrong? Did you forget?"_

_"I wish I COULD forget."_ I think to myself. "No, I didn't forget. I have the girls with me. Is it okay if I show them before I show you?"

_"Uh… sure. I'm cool with that, but Gwen… you don't sound so good. What's going on?"_

"I'll let you know after I show the girls." With that, I show them the footage I took before I came back to the hotel and, needless to say, what they were watching was a complete shock.

"Oh…"

"My…"

**"God!"** Rosa, Kelly and Kaitlyn gasped. There were other varying expressions of outrage at what they were seeing and Dee heard every single one.

_"What?** WHAT!?** That wasn't a good 'Oh, my God!' Gwen… talk to me!"_

"Gwen… are you sure you want to show her?" Alicia asked me.

Of course, I wasn't sure. I'm about to show this footage to a woman who could probably freak the Undertaker out! But since I told her I'd keep her updated, I don't have much choice.

"I have to. I promised." And I'll find out if this was a promise I should have broken in a minute. "Okay, Dee. I'm gonna send it to you but keep your line open."

_"You got it."_

With a heavy sigh, I send her the footage.

_"Okay, I got it and I'm watching it now. What is so damn-"_

Silence. And this went on for a few minutes. Not many people know this, but Dee's just as scary, if not scarier, when she doesn't say anything at all. After about 10 minutes of uncomfortable silence, I finally hear something.

_***CLICK CLICK***_

Oh, shit! I know that sound anywhere.

"That's not what I think it is; is it?" Layla asked.

"It is." I say seriously before I look to my phone. "Dee… I know what you're thinking. Don't."

_"**DON'T!?** What do you mean 'don't'?! I told that asswipe not to hurt you and I see this low-down, two-timing son of a bitch… Where's your next stop? I'm not afraid to face 10 to 20!"_

"She's serious!" Kelly gasped.

"As a heart attack! Dee… just drop it. He's not worth it."

_"Damn right, he ain't… but you are! I'm not gonna sit by and let him get away with this!"_ Dee fumed over the phone! _"The South may never rise again, but I can guarantee you one damn thing! When I get done with John, neither will he! I don't give a fuck WHAT his shirt says!"_ I could hear my BFF pacing back and forth in her apartment and the girls and I are starting to panic.

"Dee… Dee, please just listen to reason." Kaitlyn pleaded.

_"How can I!? That crew cut, dimpled, baked bean eatin', fake-ass Marine frontin' dick broke my best friend's heart by kissing another woman! And EVE of all people!"_ Dee yelled. _"You know what? I'm gonna need another gun! I see now I have two targets!"_

"Dee!" The girls shouted.

_"What? He played a Marine in the movies! They could call it 'friendly fire'! I'm shooting him for a friend!"_

"Dee, stop. Just stop." I begged. "Just put the guns down… please." I hear a grunt through the phone and then the sound of something heavy hit the table. "Both of them."

_"Fine."_ Dee glowered before putting the other one down.

"And the knife."

_"Okay."_ I knew she always carried a knife with her so I made her put it down, too.

"And the ammo belt."

_"DAMN! We're not even on Skype! How did you know?"_

"Because I know **you**."

I hear more complaining, but I can hear her putting everything up.

_"Okay, okay! It's gone, too."_

"Good. Now, breathe." Everyone there took some slow, cleansing breaths… Even Thunder. "Are you cool?"

_"For now. I'm not making any promises."_

"I'll take it." I say with a sigh of relief.

"I still can't believe it, though." Layla sighed. "I mean why would John do this? I thought he was so crazy about you."

"So did I." I say sadly as I flop backwards onto the bed. "I was so hoping that this was it… that it was finally gonna be my turn. I knew it was too good to be true."

"Gwen, there has to be some reasonable explanation for this. I know John wouldn't be this…" Kaitlyn began.

_"Low-down? Sneaky? Ho-ish?"_ Dee rattled off.

"Not quite so blunt, but yes." Layla reluctantly agreed.

"She's right, chica." Rosa interjected. "After all he's done to get you here just so you two could be closer together, do you really think he'd just wreck it by kissing Eve?"

"I-I honestly don't know." I admit.

I don't know what to think anymore. This is why I never believed in love-it's too fucking confusing! In my mind there were four scenarios that could play out when it came to my nonexistent love life: 1-I would be attracted to the guy, but he wasn't to me (which happened nearly all the time), 2-the guy hit on me (and he was always an asshole) and I wouldn't give him the time of day, 3-there was no mutual attraction whatsoever (guy friends); I have plenty of them. More than I can count. Or 4, and this was the RAREST scenario of all because it NEVER happened until now, or at least I THOUGH it did… we BOTH are attracted to each other. But now, I see that there's a fifth scenario that I never thought of… the one where you and the guy are into each other, or it feels like it, and the guy STILL goes for another woman. I've hit a new low! I find a guy I think is the one for ME and he STILL goes for another woman! I know I'm not the only person this has happened to, but who cares about anyone else. I know that sounds selfish, but is it wrong to want to experience love… at least once? I don't think that's selfish at all. I was brought out of my thoughts by Dee talking to me.

_"Gwen? Girl? Come on, say something. I don't like this silence coming from you. You know how that scares me."_

Yeah. Silence. It can be interpreted so many ways by so many people. To me, when Dee's silent, it means she's planning on hurting someone… or a few someones depending on how much ammo she's packing. When I go silent… well, let's just say only one person was going to be hurt. I better say something before Dee thinks about blabbing the one thing I don't want anyone else to know about me.

"I'm here."

_"I'm glad, but are you gonna be okay?"_

"I'm working on it."

"I need you to do more than just 'work in it'. Don't let this get you down, okay? You're better than that. You're better than him." Dee said and I know she's trying to cheer me up. _"He's just like your old boss. It's his own stupid as fault for not see the good… no… the AMAZING thing he's got! I want you to believe that, okay? If you don't believe anything else I say to you… believe that."_

"Okay." I say to Dee. "Hey, guys? II think I'm gonna go on to bed. I'll see talk to you guys in the morning, okay?"

"You got it. But, how about a hug before we go?" Kelly asked.

I just nodded and all of us came in for a group hug and they nearly suffocated me in that hug, but I didn't care. Once the hug was over, Layla and the other Divas looked at me.

"Gwen, be strong. I know you can get through this and if you need anything, we're all just a text away."

"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate this." I say to Layla.

"And don't worry. If you need us to run interference with John, we got your back." Alicia smiled.

"Thanks again. Right now, I just want to forget tonight ever happened." I say with some strain in my voice.

"Okay, we'll let you get some rest. Night, Gwen. Night, Dee and don't make any road trips, okay?" Kelly warned.

_"Fine! I'll put my travel plans on hold, but I'm letting y'all know right now… if Gwen says she wants me to come over, I'm comin' with both barrels blazin'. Literally."_

"Thanks for the warning, Dee." The girls chuckled nervously.

As the girls left my room, I'm still on the phone with Dee and I already know what she's going to say because we went through a similar situation once before.

_"Gwen, you know the drill, right?"_ She asks me.

"Yeah, I know. Call you every day; same time."

_"Yup. I don't want a text and I don't want anyone else calling for you. I want to hear YOUR voice. Got it?"_

"Got it. Hey, I'm gonna go to bed, alright? Talk to you tomorrow?"

_"I hope so. Love you, girl."_

"Love you, too. Night."

_"Night."_ And with that, I hang up with my best friend and the only person who knows what I'm thinking even before I think it half the time. If that's the case, I know she knows how much I want this pain to go away.

* * *

Meanwhile…

Down the hall, the Divas that left Gwen's room were all worried about their new friend.

"Guys, I dunno about you, but I've got a bad feeling in my stomach." Alicia said.

"What kind of feeling?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Call it a hunch, but I don't think Gwen shouldn't be alone at a time like this. I mean think about it; her best friends is miles away and Besides Thunder, who does she have to confide in?"

"Good point. I mean we're all she has right now and a few others." Rosa agreed. "Wait… Alicia, exactly what are you thinking?"

"It's… probably nothing." Alicia shrugged off whatever notion she had in her mind. "I'm gonna go back and see if she wants some company."

"What if she says no?" Kaitlyn asked.

"I'll make up some kind of excuse. Just wish me luck."

The girls all wished Alicia good luck and the foxy Diva walked back to Gwen's room.

* * *

**ALICIA'S P.O.V.**

"Okay, here's hoping she's in the mood for a roommate." I didn't really want to let the girls in on what I was thinking. There are already too many snoops around, besides, I figured the less people Gwen wanted to know about this, the better. At least… for now. I knock on the door and I hear Thunder barking.

"I hear them, sweetie." I hear Gwen say and when the door opens, I could see the moist spots on her face from where she tried to wipe everything away and I know what's going on; she was crying. Aw, man. "Oh, hey, Alicia."

"Hey. Um, I…" Okay, I can't think of anything so I'm just gonna come out and ask. "You want some company?"

"Yeah, I could use it." She said quietly. "Wanna come in?"

"Yeah, thanks."

As she lets me in, I let out this breath I didn't know I was holding. Thunder was happy to see me, which is always good. I offered to take the couch as she got changed for bed.

"Are you sure you're gonna be alright on that thing?" She asks me.

"Yeah, I'm good. Not the first time I slept on a couch." I smile. "You get some rest."

"Alright. Night."

"Night." I change into my sleepwear and snuggle under the comforter Gwen gave me. After a few minutes, I hear something coming from Gwen's room. I quietly get up from my spot and go to where she's sleeping. I can barely see her face but what I could see broke my heart. She had tears running down her cheeks. Poor girl; she was crying herself to sleep. Damn it; if only John knew what he did. Anyway, I know she's gonna need us to help her get through this. I just hope we can.

* * *

Meanwhile…

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

After that… weirdness with Eve, I'm back at the hotel and I'm really anxious to talk to Gwen. I want to spend some time with her before I have to fly back to Doc Andrews in the morning. I'm walking down the hall and I'm stopped by Kaitlyn and Layla.

"Hey, girls. Have you seen Gwen? I missed her at the arena."

"She's not feeling well, John. She wanted to go straight to bed." Layla told me.

"Is she alright? Maybe I should look in on her." I was about to walk down the hall but they girls stop me.

"We already did. Just let her rest, John. She'll be okay." Kaitlyn reassured me.

I didn't know why they wouldn't let me check Gwen and see for myself, but I just let it go. I'm sure I'll see her tomorrow.

"Okay. Well, tell her to get well soon, alright?"

"We will." They said and they both walked in the other direction.

I dunno… but something was a bit… off with that exchange. It was almost like they didn't want me to see her. I just let out a sigh and walk back to my room. Hopefully things will be better in the morning.

* * *

-The Next Morning-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

As usual, I'm woken up by my favorite furry alarm clock licking my hand. I look down and I see Thunder looking at me with those eyes of his. He could always tell when I need cheering up so he acts extra cute this morning my standing on his hind legs and spinning.

"Thanks, sweetie." I say as I scratch his ears. Then I see Alicia walking from the room that had the couch. Oh, right. She stayed over last night.

"Morning, Gwen." She said to me.

"Morning. How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good. You?"

"I slept." I say simply. I know on the outside I look okay, but inside I was a wreck. But I have to stay strong. I owe it to a lot of people. Alicia was about to say something else when I hear my phone chiming. I had a new text. I look at my phone and it was from John. Judging by the timestamp, he sent it late last night.

_"Hey, baby girl. Got a call from da airport. The only flight available to Alabama was for right now and I had 2 go early. Hope 2 ttyl. XOXOX"_

In a way, I'm kinda glad he's already gone. I don't think I would have been able to deal with him this morning. As I read the text, I let out a sigh and I can feel Alicia reading the text over my shoulder.

"I dunno if I should talk to him or not." I say anxiously.

"Well, if he asks what's wrong, just tell him it's a personal thing you need to work out yourself. You'd be telling the truth." Alicia suggested.

"Yeah, I guess." I say sadly. "Well, he did do one thing."

"What's that?"

"He proved why I don't like taking chances-because they always turn out like this." I hate to say I told you so.

"Gwen, I'm so sorry." Alicia apologized and she hugged me. I hugged back and I let out a sigh. This sucks. Even when I think I won, I still lose! "You wanna grab some breakfast or order in."

"I'd rather order in."

"Room service it is!" Alicia smiled. I know she's trying to cheer me up… "And we'll order you some yum-yums, too, little man!" Now she's talking baby talk to Thunder. Okay, I'm getting cheered up. All I have to do is watch something cute and my spirits are lifted, even for a moment.

"Hey, do you mind if I shower first?"

"No, go ahead. Thunder can hang out with me until you come out." Alicia replied.

"Thanks." And with that, I go to take my shower. A few minutes later, I come out wearing a white terrycloth robe and the next thing I see is a cart full of food and Alicia standing behind it with Thunder in her arms. "Um… how do you expect the three of us to eat all this?" I ask.

"I don't." Alicia said and I see, Kelly, Rosa, Layla and Kaitlyn walk out of the other room. You know what? I'm kinda glad Alicia invited the girls; I could use the support right now.

"We thought you could use some help eating this." Kaitlyn smiled.

"Yeah, I could." I nodded.

After what I saw last night, I wasn't really up to eating anything, but I had to keep my strength up so I grabbed a plate and put a couple of waffles and sausage patties on it. As we ate, I told them about the text John sent me this morning about him leaving earlier that night to go back to rehab and how Alicia suggested I tell him I was dealing with some personal issues if he ever asked what was wrong.

"Sounds good, especially since it's the truth." Rosa agreed.

"Yeah." I said as I took a bite of my waffles.

"So, did you talk to Dee yet?" Layla asked.

"Not yet. I was hoping to give her more time to chill out."

"How much time, exactly?" Kelly asked.

"When's the next Ice Age?" I ask back.

"Ouch." The girls cringed.

"It does take her a while to cool off, but she will eventually." I tell the Divas.

As we eat, I look over and I see Kelly with this look on her face and something told me it had nothing to do with what I was going through. Call it woman's intuition.

"Kelly, what's wrong?"

"Gwen… there's something I have to tell you and considering the circumstances, I don't want to add any more bad news."

"What are you talking about? What's going on?"

"I… uh… I'm leaving Friday." Kelly said. "My contract's up at the end of the week."

Are you kidding me? First the guy I'm falling for kisses another woman and now one of my newest friends is leaving? Could this get any worse? Don't ask that, Gwen. You ALWAYS get an answer.

"Well, it's not like we can't keep in touch, right?" I ask.

"Right. We'll Skype, email, test, and we'll meet up on the road." Kelly nodded. "They can't stop me from visiting. I'm gonna miss you guys so much."

"We're gonna miss you, too. I know for a fact Jerry is." I chuckle. Just then Thunder padded over to Kelly and whimpers sadly. I swear, I think he can understand what we're saying.

"Oh, I'm gonna miss you, too; little guy!" She said as she scratched his ears. "There's never gonna be a dog as cute as you."

"Hey, how about we just make this a girls' week. Every day we just do something different?" Alicia suggested. "We can spend our last days with Kelly and help Gwen take her mid off of… you know who."

"Sounds good to me." I agree. Thunder also voiced his agreement with adorable barks.

"Oh, of course we can't forget you. You won't let us." Layla and the girls laughed. "Just kidding, sweetie!"

It'll be good to get out. I can't just stay in my room and wallow in my sorrow.

* * *

-Monday Night: RAW in Oklahoma City, OK-

Last week was crazy. Not only did I spend all week trying to convince John I was alright when I really wasn't and hang out with Kelly and the girls until her contract was up-which sucks-, I had to keep Dee posted on my well being by calling her every day at the same time. Right now, it's about a half hour before air time and I'm getting myself psyched up when AJ walks over. I've talked to her off and on and she's pretty cool. Anyone who likes comic books and Chuck Taylor All Stars is alright in my book.

"Hey, Gwen."

"Hey, AJ."

"How are you feeling?"

"Eh, you know. The usual." I fib slightly.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Well, I just wanted to let you know you can talk to me about anything if you need to."

"Good to know. Thanks, AJ."

"No problem. Break a leg, tonight."

"Thanks; you, too." AJ really is cool; even her ring theme. I haven't told anyone but I'm working on routines for some of my favorite entrance themes. That's what I've been doing in my hotel room this past week to get my mind off of things. That and throwing myself into my workouts. Well, it's time for me to make my way ringside and take my place at the table. I have to go over a few last minute details with Cole and J.R. before we actually air. All I have to do is just be myself and keep cool. In the back of my mind, I'm kinda glad John's not here this week; less pressure.

-MONDAY NIGHT RAW-

"It is Monday night and that can mean just one thing! Time for a 3-hour Monday Night RAW!" Cole began. "We are live in Oklahoma City! Michael Cole, Gwen Turner and the Hal of Famer, Jim Ross at ringside."

C.M. Punk's music comes up and the arena is thundering with boos as the reigning champion walks out with the walrus close behind. Seeing him hold that belt makes me sick. Like I said before, I'm cool with Punk. Heyman… let's just say I don't blame A.J. one bit for slapping the taste outta his mouth last week.

"And here comes C.M. Punk and his trained walrus, Paul Heyman. Most likely they're gonna talk about what happened last week, but let's focus on something more important. Tonight's Jim Ross Appreciation night and I know you're psyched about that." I say to the legendary commentator.

"It really feels surreal. I'm very humbled to be here." Good Ol' J.R. says to me and Cole. "I appreciate the WWE for honoring me here tonight."

Cole says that the ceremony would be later tonight and recaps C.M. Punk's response to John's challenge-No. Of course, he'd say no.

"So, last week, John Cena attacks me with a pipe while my back was turned." Punk recalls.

"Well, technically, he waited until you turned around and THEN he attacked you, but I'm just splitting hairs." I say.

Now he's talking about how he kicked Mick Foley back stage and all his talk about disrespect. I'm telling you; the boos coming from the crowd are almost drowning out the champion… almost. If there's one thing Punk excels at-it's mic work. Speaking of, I see him whispering something to Paul Heyman and gives the mic to the walrus in a cheap suit. Oh, boy. I know what's coming next.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the WWE Champion. C.M. Punk, the best in the world and I would like to now move on to another most relevant piece of business."

And they cut to the scene where he… ugh… proposes to A.J. And where A.J. promptly slaps him silly.

"Good for her! I want that as a continuous loop on my playlist!" I say. "He's lucky she just slapped him."

Then Paul Heyman, in his arrogance, stated that A.J. never said no.

"Um, you never heard of body language? I think the contact her hand made with your face was all the "no" she needed; don't you? I mean, come on; I know you've been slapped by thousands of women in your lifetime." I say.

He did say that she violated a direct edict from the WWE Board of Directors stating that she couldn't put her hands on any Superstar, manager or anyone else ever again. Yeah, any ONE; not any THING. I'm not gonna touch that line about him not wanting to quote scriptures. After a round of boos, Heyman goes on to push for A.J's immediate dismissal from her position as RAW G.M. which would leave a huge power void. Now, I'm sitting here hoping he DOESN'T name himself G.M. I vaguely remember when he was on Smackdown and I was glad that reign was over.

"Who would lead the flagship show for WWE?" Heyman begins. "And the answer to that question is… me. Paul Heyman."

Uh, no. I don't think so.

**"EXCUSE ME!"** And the boos start up again as we go from the walrus to the harpy with the cool haircut-YES, I still like it!

Now they're out here to voice their complaints about A.J. calling themselves "victims"; Vickie especially and to prove their point, they show footage of when she got slapped by the tiny G.M. I saw that one and I rate that slap a 9 out of 10. Clean, crisp sound, solid contact, sufficient head movement-one helluva slap. And the cat fight that followed was sweet! Too bad Vickie doesn't share my opinion.

"Excuse me, but when did this become about you?" Heyman asks Vickie. Funny, that's what the WWE Universe is asking about why YOU'RE out here, Paul. Now, Dolph suggests that Vickie and Paul become co-G.M.'s of Monday Night RAW! Uh… no. There is no way in HELL Vince and the Board would agree to that!

After the four parties involved-thus far- finish their bickering, A.J.'s music hits and she comes skipping out to the ring.

"Hey, despite all the grievances these guys have, they're forgetting A.J.'s still the boss." I point out.

"Now, I'm sure you will all be very happy to know that the WWE Board of Directors has placed me on probation." A.J. relays.

"Good." Punk adds.

A.J. then says she thought they'd make an excuse for her hitting an slimy excuse for a man like Paul. But, they didn't. If they put themselves in her shoes, they would. Now she's been assigned an Executive coach to help in her development as RAW G.M. What? She did just right slapping Paul for his indecent proposal. Like I said before, he's lucky all she did was slap him. The next thing we hear is Daniel Bryan's music.

"Is he her coach?" J.R. asks.

"I hope not. Can you imagine?" I ask back. "It's almost like the inmate running the asylum."

Daniel begins my saying that A.J's mental issues were compounded by the fact that he dumped her after Wrestlemania. Yeah, you completely forgot how she returned the favor on RAW 1000 where she dumped you at the altar, right?

"A.J., I can't blame you. I mean, look at me… I'm one HELLUVA catch." Daniel says.

"Compared to who? Charles Manson?" I ask.

After listing his qualities-such as they were- he ends with the fact that HE'S the tag team champions. Ugh, not this again. BOOM!

"Not just you, 'cause here comes your partner." Cole clarifies as Kane's music and pyro hits with s deafening boom.

After he enters the ring, Kane comes to the G.M.'s defense… kinda… by saying that A.J's a phenomenal kisser. No comment. That whole love triangle I came in on when I got back into wrestling was crazy enough to follow. Kane did say that Daniel was right… except for one thing… do I even need to say it? Now everyone's arguing in the ring and I can see it taking a toll on poor A.J who's screaming "stop it" over and over again. I don't blame her for flipping out. I would too if I were in her shoes.

"This is MY show!" And the crowd agrees with loud cheers. "And probation or not, I am STILL the General Manager of RAW and what I say goes! And what I say… is the WWE Champion-C.M. Punk and the Money in the Bank winner-Dolph Ziggler will face the WWE Tag Team Champions-TEAM HELL NO!"

"Talk about four huge egos and two pretty dysfunctional tag teams." Cole points out.

"Which should make for one interesting match later tonight!" I add. "Also later to night… President Obama might need to take some notes because Smackdown G.M. Booker T. will conduct a debate between WHC Sheamus and The Big Show."

-Later-

After a #1 Contender's Tag Team Tournament and a match between Brodus Clay and Antonio Cesaro-someone I haven't really spoken to yet-we come to a scene where A.J. is walking around with her new Executive Coach, Christopher J. Stevenson. They come up on Kaitlyn whose ankle is still taped up, but it looks much better than it did last week. A.J. tells Kaitlyn that they used to be best friends and then apologizes and asks for forgiveness… but then laughs it off and takes it back. She then skips away laughing leaving both Stevenson and Kaitlyn confused.

"That guy has his work cut out for him." I say completely dumbfounded.

"Nevertheless, it's a great night for our broadcast partner in his hometown! It's his night-J.R. Appreciation Night. Who's gonna be here to say hello? Find out live on Monday Night RAW!" Cole announces.

J.R. comes in saying that even though A.J. may be unstable at times, she booked an amazing main event.

-Later-

J.R. talks about Larry King being tonight's Social Media Ambassador and after a match between the Miz and Zack Ryder and the debate with Big Show and Sheamus, we have a match with Ryback and Tensai and… talk about one-sided. I almost feel bad for Tensai. I know Sakamoto's somewhere laughing. They go into a promo about Susan G. Komen for the Cure and pan to the many cancer survivors in attendance tonight. You go, ladies!

Now it's time for the Divas match and… ugh, Eve's music plays. I'm gonna have to pull out an Oscar-winning performance tonight. As she walks into the ring, she… waves at me and flashes a smile? HUH!? Okay, she is clearly trying to get into my head and I'm not going to let her.

"Uh… okay… Gwen, I thought Eve didn't like you." Cole said to me.

"So did I." I answer back. "I dunno what she's trying to do but I don't trust her as far as I'd like to throw her."

They show the video package where Eve, who was also Booker T's administrative assistant, suspended Beth Phoenix indefinitely, but Booker reversed it, thankfully. Eve will do anything to keep her lies from being found out… lies… I wonder. I just shake myself out of my own thought and concentrate on the action in the ring. Now that they're both in the ring, Eve tries to talk her way out of the beatdown she deserves.

"Eve's extending the olive branch in the form of a right hand." J.R. points out.

"I've got a right hand I'd like to extend to Eve, myself." I say.

After a match that went back and forth, Eve… wins. Again. And she flashes those teeth like she just won a beauty pageant. Okay, she's making the plastic Barbie doll look more and more like a real woman every time I see her. And considering that I don't even LIKE Barbie…, that's saying something.

After the commercial, Cole talks about JBL and his work with underprivileged kids in Bermuda where he now lives. J.R. and I chime in about Seven Summits for Kids which is why he's not here and wasn't here last week. They show pictures of him on the peak of Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro.

"Hey, that is a huge accomplishment and more power to him. I personally don't like heights. I'm 5'8" and I don't go above that if I can help it." I smirk.

The next match is Sheamus against Damien Sandow. And Cody is at ringside with us. He's another guy I haven't really had a chance to speak to since I've been here. During the match, of course, Cody interferes, but in the end, Sheamus wins with a double Brogue Kick to the Rhodes Scholars. Once that's over…

"Well, it's almost time, Jim!" I smile.

"Put some powder on your nose and straighten your tie because coming up next, it is YOUR night!" Cole grinned.

"Here in your home in Oklahoma City, it is J.R. Appreciation Night and it's next on Monday Night Raw! Are you ready?" I ask the legend.

"I'm ready."

When we come back from break, Cole's in the ring and I'm at ringside because J.R. is in the back waiting to be announced.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in appreciating the hall of Famer, 'Good Ol' J.R-JIM ROSS!"

Boomer Sooner plays and as Jim Ross walks down the ramp, the crowd goes nuts!

"Hometown pride is alive and well here in Oklahoma City and for good reason! Everyone's here to celebrate their favorite son, and man I'm proud to work with and learn from, Good Ol' J.R." I say as I'm doing commentary solo for now. "Looks like Larry King thinks so, too! He's tweeting 'Happy Appreciation night at JRSBBQ #WWELarryKing #RAW'. Thanks for the kind words, Larry!"

"Well, first off, J.R., congratulations on J.R. Appreciation Night. It has got to be absolutely fabulous for you to be in your hometown tonight of Oklahoma City." The crowd goes nuts with good reason. "And to be back at that announce table calling Monday Night RAW right here on your night, J.R. Appreciation Night. So how does it feel? How emotional are you tonight?" Cole asks the legendary commentator.

"Well, Michael-"

And all of a sudden, "Cult of Personality" plays and Punk walks out with Heyman in tow to ruin Jim Ross' night. What an asshole! I know, he's playing a part, but does he have to play it so well? I laugh to myself. He then takes Cole's mic.

"Cole, you don't need this anymore. In fact, you can get out of my ring and go take your seat next to Gwen… where you belong." Cole does as he says and now he's back with me doing color. The crowd's boos grow louder, rightfully so. Punk's taunting the crowd to tell him how they feel and they do NOT disappoint. He bullies Jim Ross into calling him the "best in the world" and Good Ol' J.R. won't budge. Good for him. He goes even further to tell Punk that if he accepts John Cena's challenge at Hell in a Cell and beats him, then Jim would be the first in line to call Punk the best in the world… but not before and I don't blame him. After more bullying, Punk knocks off J.R's hat and tells him to get out of his ring, but get this, he doesn't want him back at the table with me and Cole. He wants him out, period. He wants him to go up the ramp and just leave.

"You don't have to take that from him! He doesn't sign your checks, J.R." But, J.R. leaves the ring. I don't believe it. All the while, Punk berates him and the crowd boos, but then… looks who comes to the rescue! Ryback!

"Yeah, Punk. Let's see how you do with someone your own size… well, bigger." I smirk. "Taste of your own medicine."

The crowd chants "Feed Me More" and as usual, Punk… punks out.

"Ha! NOW who's leaving the ring?" I say as I look to my broadcast colleague. "You alright, J.R?"

"I am; thank you. What a pathetic excuse for a man, C.M. Punk is."

"I'm inclined to agree." Cole chimes in and he mentions the main event tonight with Team Hell No vs. Punk and Ziggler.

-Later-

We come back from another commercial break and after a match between Alberto Do-Over and Kofi Kingston, there's a scene with A.J. and her coach, Mr. Stevenson. He suggests that she put aside her personal differences and making decisions to have the best show possible. A.J. decided to add a special guest referee to the main event-Mr. Stevenson. But then she tells him a coach isn't worth a damn if he's never been a player and kicks him out of her office. After he leaves, she gets this that look in her eyes and that can mean only one thing-chaos is imminent. When that's over, Team Hell No gets intro'ed first with Daniel Bryan coming out first and then Kane. After one more commercial break, C.M. Punk and Dolph Ziggler are in the ring and the announcer is about to bring out the guest referee. I have my ideas on who it is but I'm not gonna say anything.

"And now… your special guest referee…"

All four wrestlers have no idea who it is and I can't wait to see their faces. All of a sudden "Light It Up" plays and everyone in the ring and out is shocked out of their minds.

"Oh, here we go!" I shout.

And here comes A.J. skipping towards the ring in a striped referee sports bra, black shorts and lace up black and white boots.

"Punk is livid! Dolph's livid! Team Hell No is upset!" Cole comments.

"And what about Paul and Vickie? They're not happy about this, either. I love it!" I reply.

After some argument, Kane starts off the match against Dolph. Team Hell No is in control and Kane throws Dolph over the top rope. Soon after Daniel tags himself in. Not sure if A.J. saw that or not but I don't think she did because when we come back from our last commercial break, it's still Kane vs. Dolph. After Dolph goes over to the opposing corner and punches Daniel, Kane punches Dolph and tags in Goat Fa-I mean Daniel. Kane slingshots Daniel where he drop kicks Dolph who's stuck in the corner. Nice display of teamwork. Bryan gets a count of 2 before tagging Kane back in. During the match, J.R., Cole and I talk about remaining unemotional in an emotional situation as an official. I guess that's true in all aspects of life, if you think about it. But, I keep my mind form wandering back to you-know-who and go back to the match. Dolph finally tags Punk in and he delivers a high knee to Kane in the corner.

"And there goes the WWE Champion who ruined your night, J.R." Cole reminded.

As the match continues, it's now Daniel against Punk and he gets the champion in the No Lock. As A.J. checks to see that everything's on the level, Heyman pushes the rope close enough for Punk to put his foot on it and break the hold. Too bad A.J. saw that and now that she's in a position to do something about it, I think Heyman's gonna rethink his marriage proposal. She calls Heyman onto the ropes and tells him to get out of here! He's ejected from ringside!

"You go, A.J!" I smile. "Good call!"

And now Vickie's on the apron mouthing off at the ref. Yeah, smart move, lady! Before she can say "excuse me" A.J. ejects her ass, too!

"Two good calls! Who says she can't make good decisions?" I smirk.

"Look at A.J. She's laughing! She's having a ball." Cole points out. Hey, I would, too.

"Whoa, look at this! Dolph's going after Vickie!" Jim comments.

"And he's leaving Punk high and dry. Oh, this is rich!" I smirk. "He's really getting a heavy dose of karma! Wasn't it Punk and Heyman who left Ziggler to fend for himself a few weeks ago?"

"Indeed it was. And now Dolph's taking his ball and going home with Vickie…"

"Bad image." I say.

"Sorry. He's leaving and now Punk's all by his lonesome." Jim smirks.

"You know what they say about karma, gentlemen."

"We do. Too bad we can't say it here."

After some more well-deserved ass kicking, Kane pins Punk for the win and the tag team champions end the show… arguing. Typical Monday Night.

* * *

-After RAW-

**A.J.'s P.O.V.**

After everyone had gone back to the hotel, I decided to go talk to Vince about something. After what I saw and heard last week, I felt I had to do something to make this right. And I, being me, came up with a great idea. It was originally meant for me, but I think it would better suit them. So, I skip my way over to Vince's office and knock on the door.

"Come in." I hear. I put on my best smile and I walk into his office.

"Mr. McMahon?"

"Ah; A.J. Come in." I walk in and close the door before sitting down. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about my upcoming storyline with John Cena."

"Yes, what do you want to talk about?"

"Well… I was thinking that I had someone better in mind for that. Someone besides me."

"Really? Do tell. Just who do you have in mind to take your place?"

Here goes. I just hope he takes a shine to my idea.

"I was thinking Gwen." I see Mr. McMahon looking at me like he's thinking it over so I decide to sweeten the pot and make him see that this idea is gold. "Mr. McMahon, you see how popular she is as a commentator and it's only growing every week. Plus, everyone sees how John Cena acts around her. Remember her first night? And how about on The Chew? There is chemistry there you can capitalize on. And think about it; how much sense would it make if John starts flirting with me after that much P.D.A. shown to Gwen? It wouldn't look right."

"I must admit the idea does intrigue me and it would make more sense if it went down that way. I can't have John be seen in a negative light like that." After a few tense moments, I see Mr. McMahon smiling. "Alright, we'll redo the storyline and have Gwen instead of you. But, A.J… you do realize you're giving up something most women would only dream of."

"I know. Let's just say I'm giving it up to help another woman realize her dream."

"Alright. I'll run it by everyone in creative and we'll make it happen."

"Thanks, Mr. McMahon!" I smile and I skip out of his office.

That's how you kill two birds with one stone. I help two good friends and work it into the storyline. It's genius! I so deserve to be G.M! Now, I need to talk to John. I know he's wondering what's going on with Gwen and he needs to know. He's a good friend and Gwen's a sweetheart and Eve's a conniving bitch. She is not going to get away with this. If this works, Gwen is so gonna owe me big time and I know just what to ask for-I want to puppysit Thunder for a month. I still haven't gotten my turn with the cutie yet!

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 15**

Looks like John and Gwen are gonna get a helping hand from little miss Crazy Chick. Let's all hope this works and Eve get's what's coming to her. Can someone say **CAT FIGHT!?** Not in the next chapter… but who knows. It could happen. Well, as always, I ask you to do three things: read, **REVIEW** and pass it on. This is the fastest update so far. Let's hope I keep it up! Till then, love, peace and hair grease!


	16. One Small Word One Big Meaning

Hey, guys! I know you're not expecting an update this fast. Well, if it's any consolation, neither was I. LOL. Now, I see some of my earlier reviewers are coming back. Awesome! Let's keep it up and hopefully being some new readers! With that out of the way… Let's dispense with the usual business.

**DISCLAIMER:** I own NOTHING except Gwen, Dee and the adorable little Thunder.

Now… **ON WITH THE FIC!**

* * *

**_LAST TIME…_**

**_"Alright, we'll redo the storyline and have Gwen instead of you. But, A.J… you do realize you're giving up something most women would only dream of."_**

**_"I know. Let's just say I'm giving it up to help another woman realize her dream."_**

**_"Alright. I'll run it by everyone in creative and we'll make it happen."_**

**_"Thanks, Mr. McMahon!" I smile and I skip out of his office._**

**_That's how you kill two birds with one stone. I help two good friends and work it into the storyline. It's genius! I so deserve to be G.M! Now, I need to talk to John. I know he's wondering what's going on with Gwen and he needs to know. He's a good friend and Gwen's a sweetheart and Eve's a conniving bitch. She is not going to get away with this. If this works, Gwen is so gonna owe me big time and I know just what to ask for-I want to puppysit Thunder for a month. I still haven't gotten my turn with the cutie yet!_**

* * *

-Later that night-

**A.J.'S P.O.V.**

After I left Mr. McMahon's office, I realized that I'd have to tweak MY storyline of me resigning as RAW G.M. and think of another reason why I'm doing it. Oh, well. I'll talk to him about it tomorrow. I'm sure we can work something out. Now, to make sure this goes off without a hitch, I need to talk to John and convince Gwen to talk to him, too. I just hope she hasn't totally given up; everything hinges on her believing that John wouldn't hurt her for a skank like Eve. As I'm walking down the hall, I hear Rosa and Alicia talking and I hear John and Gwen's names being mentioned.

"She's holding up better than I expected." Alicia said.

"I know. To look at her, you'd never know something was wrong. But then again, the fact that John wasn't on this week was a factor." Rosa added. "I still can't believe John would do that."

So they know. Oh, boy! Looks like I have more people to talk to besides Gwen and John. I have to stop this from spiraling out of control and here in the WWE, that can happen in a heartbeat.

"Hey, guys."

"AJ, what's up?" Alicia asked.

"Um… I couldn't help but overhear you two talking about Gwen and John." I began and I'm hoping they'll be open to listening to what I had to say. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

Rosa told me about what happened after Gwen saw John and Eve kissing and what happened the days after that. Yikes! Okay, so Kaitlyn and Layla know, too. And Kelly, but she left. I'll have to fill her in, too.

"Ouch. I can imagine she's not doing so well."

"No. She's hiding it well, but she's hurting." Rosa nodded.

"Well, I just found out some stuff you guys should know. Can we meet in your room?" I ask.

"No problem, but what makes you think what you know will help?" Alicia asked. I can tell she was skeptical about my information.

"It will; trust me."

"Okay. If it's that important, I'll text Kaitlyn and Layla to meet in our room." Alicia suggested.

"We can call Kelly, Dee and Gwen, too." Rosa added.

"Call Kelly and Dee, but not Gwen. Not yet. I need to talk to her myself first." I ask. They both look at me like I'm nuts… shut up… but, I know what I'm doing.

"Okay. We'll do this your way." Alicia agreed. "I just hope this works out."

Me, too. Eve's been manipulating things around here for too long and I won't let her ruin this. Besides, I have concrete evidence. Let's just say technology rocks!

-Five minutes later-

I'm in Rosa and Alicia's room with Kaitlyn and Layla. Dee and Kelly are on Skype. I'm hoping what I have to show them will convince them that John's innocent.

_"It's good to hear from you guys, but what's going on?"_ Kelly asked over the phone.

_"Yeah; this better be good. I just got back from the gym."_ Dee said.

"A.J. says she has something she needs to tell us." Layla relayed. "It's about the whole John/Eve thing."

_"Well, my workout high is shot to Hell."_ Dee grumbled.

_"Well, calling Eve a 'thing' is accurate."_ Kelly said and I couldn't help but chuckle. _"But, what about Eve and John?"_

"That's just it. There **IS** no Eve and John." I say.

"So, it's all just a big 'misunderstanding'? Kaitlyn asked skeptically.

"'Misunderstanding', my ass!" I say frankly. "It's all a plot. Eve planned this all along."

Everyone looked at each other with a bit of shock, but, come on. It can't be that much of a shock, is it?

"Whoa! I know she's a lying bitch, but do you have any proof?" Layla asked.

"Do I ever?" I smirk as I take out my smartphone. I scroll through my files until I find the one I'm looking for. Jackpot! "Ladies… may I present Exhibit A!"

* * *

_**"John! John, I just wanted to say how happy I am to see you back."**_

_**"Um… Eve? I'm not back, yet. I just made an appearance for tonight to progress the feud between me and Punk. I have to go back tomorrow morning; now, if you'll excuse me, there's someone else I'd rather talk to."**_

_**"W-w-wait. Wait. Before you go, there is something else I want to say."**_

_**"Eve, we really have nothing to s-MMFFFFMFM FFMFMM!"**_

_**At this point, Gwen sees them kissing and walks away sadly. Just as she's out of the shot, John pushes Eve away.**_

_**"What the Hell was that?"**_

_**"I was just reminding you of what you could have."**_

_**"What? Herpes!? Look, Eve. I want you to understand something. You and me… not happening… ever! Besides, I have someone I need to find. Just get over it.**_

_**"Couldn't have timed that better myself. That'll teach that little nobody to embarrass me on live television like that. She'll want nothing more to do with John and he'll be all mine again."**_

* * *

After I show them the evidence, I look at their faces and I see a mixture of relief and pissed off-relief that John would never do that to Gwen and pissed off at Eve because this is a new low she's sunk to. I mean, intentionally trying to wreck a relationship? That's beyond bitchy!

"I'd like to call her a bitch, but I don't think that word does her justice anymore." Layla said angrily.

_"We'd have to invent a word for Eve at this point."_ Kelly agreed. At this point everyone looked at Dee and I was the only one who looked confused. Everyone else looked… scared.

"Um… why does Dee have that look on her face and why do you guys look worried?" I ask.

"Wait for it." The girls said in unison.

_"Don't worry. I'm not gonna pull out my Glock."_ Dee reassured. When everyone heaved a sigh of relief, I just looked at Dee like… WHAT?

"She has a Glock?"

"Among other things." Alicia chuckled.

_"But, I'm telling the truth. I'm not gonna reach for my Glock… I got a sawed off shotgun with that bitch's name on it!"_

"DEE!"

Okay… damn! And people call ME crazy!

"Okay… scared of you!" I say.

_"Guys, you CAN'T say I wouldn't be justified if decide to go hunting and my gun… somehow… goes off. Just make sure your next stop has lots of thick woodlands. When are you going to Vermont?"_

"Dee, you are not going to shoot Eve. She'd be getting off too easily if you did that." Kaitlyn replied.

"She deserved to choke on every bit of Karma that's coming to her." Rosa agreed.

_"Okay, fine. No guns."_ Dee conceded. _"But something has me confused."_

"What's that?"

_"Shouldn't Gwen be in on this conversation? I mean, this does involve her."_

She does have a point. This involves Gwen more than anyone else in the room right now. But this has to be handled delicately.

"Not yet. I plan on talking to her separately. I know she's still… coping." I say.

_"Yeah, she is. I just hope she knows the truth soon. All I know is I feel like a rat now for thinking John would… you know."_ Gwen's best friend relented.

"I think we're all guilty of that, Dee." Alicia nodded sadly.

"Hey, guys? Let's not let on that we know about this. I have a feeling if Eve knew we knew, she'd do something else." I suggested. At this point, I wouldn't put anything past Eve.

"Alright; we'll act like we don't know anything about this." Layla nodded.

_"Yeah, we'll keep this on the D.L., A.J."_ Dee nodded.

"Thanks. Now, I have to talk to John and explain why Gwen's been so distant lately."

"Okay, we'll make sure she doesn't give up on John." Rosa replied. "I don't want to see those two split over something Eve did."

"Tell me about it. Well, I'm off. I'll see you guys later."

As the girls all said goodbye to me, I go back to my hotel room to make my next phone call. I also make sure there's enough background noise in case some eavesdroppers decide to listen in.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, John."

_"Hey, A.J. How's it going?"_ John asked me.

"Things are going okay, but I need to talk to you about something."

_"Really? What about?"_

"About Gwen."

There's a pause on his end and it's got me worried. But my fears were squashed when I hear him talking again.

_"Is she alright? I've been trying to talk to her since last Monday and she's either not feeling well or she's busy. Plus, she doesn't sound like her usual self."_

"Actually there's a good reason for that." I say. "But I think it's better if I show you than tell you."

_"What are you talking about?"_

"Just trust me, okay? I'm gonna send you a file that'll explain everything."

_"Okay. I'll humor you."_ He sighed.

I let out another sigh of relief. Okay, so far so good. Now, as I send the file to his phone, I'm thinking this is gonna shed some light on things. Not a lot of people know this but John's a guy who thrives on emotion; you can tell what he's feeling through his body language, through his facial expressions and in his voice and I can tell by his voice that he's missing Gwen like crazy.

"Did you get it?"

_"Yeah, I'm watching it now."_ I'm waiting for John's assessment when I hear… _"Oh, my God. She saw… no wonder…"_

"Yeah… she saw." I say back. "But there's more. Keep watching."

He's getting to the part where Eve practically admits that she did that just to have Gwen see them and think John was cheating on her.

_"That… conniving... hoeski!"_ John growled quietly. _"She planned that all along. I had a feeling she didn't like Gwen but… I never thought she'd go this far."_

"Well, she did." I say. "She hates the fact that you spend so much time with Gwen."

_"And now Gwen thinks… aw, man. I'd never do that to her. I lo-"_

I heard John stall and… does he really? If that's true, then those two really DO need to talk. They deserve to be happy together.

"John… why did you stop? Why didn't you finish your sentence?

_"Uh… it's nothing. Someone came in."_ John told me. Why don't I believe him? _"What I don't get is why she would think that?"_

"I think I have an idea why, but I don't want to jump to conclusions. What I will say is this: don't blame Gwen for thinking that. She was duped just like you were."

_"I don't. I can never be mad at her. Eve is another story, though."_ John sighed. _"I really need to talk to Gwen, but how can I when she's basically avoiding me?"_

He has a point. Looks like I'm gonna have to do a little more work to make this... work. I see now that not only do I have to talk to Gwen, I'm gonna have to think of some way to get these two to talk to each other because I have a feeling she feels the same way about him… and is probably just as chicken to admit it.

"Leave that to me." I say proudly. "Just remember that Gwen feels the same way about you."

_"Okay. I'm trusting you, A.J."_

"Thanks. Oh, when is your rehab over?"

_"Well, it's still ongoing, but I will be there next Monday."_

Yeah… next Monday starts the storyline. I better tell him there's one little change… on second thought, I'll let him be surprised. Since he'll be back on Monday and they always have meetings before Raw, he'll find out about the change then.

"That's great. Hey, I'm gonna let you go. You just concentrate on getting better."

_"I will, A.J… and thanks."_

"You can thank my by doing me a favor. Don't give up on Gwen."

_"Wasn't planning on it, especially not after seeing the truth. Besides, that's my motto; I gotta practice what I preach."_

"Glad to hear it. I'll talk to you later."

_"Later, A.J."_

I hang up the phone and so far, I'm pretty pleased with myself. Now, I just have one more person to talk to tomorrow. I just hope she's willing to listen.

* * *

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

I just got off the phone with A.J. and right now I'm just a swirl of emotions: anger and betrayal towards Eve for trying to come between me and Gwen and compassion for Gwen because now I know why we haven't been talking like we used to. I can't imagine what she's going through right now. I take that back; I can. I bet she's crushed. Her trust is probably shaken beyond belief after watching Eve kiss me and I don't blame her. If the roles were reversed, I'd feel the same way. I'd be crushed if the woman I was falling in love with was-wait.

"I am falling in love with her… so why wasn't I able to say it? That's the second time that happened." I think to myself.

I lean over and grab my day planner and inside is the strip of photos Gwen and I took back in New York. My eyes look over each one but they fall on the one at the very top-the one where our arms are on each other's shoulders. I couldn't say the "L" word that day, either. Am I that afraid to have my heart broken again? I thought Liz was the one and she broke my heart without a second thought. Gwen's not like that. In fact, she's not like any woman I've ever met before. She's sweet, kind, beautiful, a helluva kisser… and I'm just scratching the surface. Yeah, Gwen's different, but in a good way. I know she won't hurt me like Liz; I have to believe that… just like she has to believe I would never hurt her. I stare at her face for what seems like forever and can't tear my eyes away from hers. Even her picture has that affect on me. As my finger traces the top edge I close my eyes and I make a wish.

"Don't give up on me, Gwen; please. It'll kill me if you do." I kiss the top picture and put it back in my planner before I settle in for the night. Whatever A.J.'s got up her sleeve, I hope it works.

* * *

-The Next Morning-

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

Last night went pretty smoothly. I guess the fact John wasn't there had something to do with it. Anyway, I needed to do something to get my mind off of things and just sitting in my room wasn't going to cut it so after I showered changed and had breakfast, I decided to go down to the gym and get a workout in and, of course, Thunder was with me. Once there, I found a heavy bag that was unoccupied so I went to It, put in my earbuds and cranked up the Mortal Kombat theme by The Immortals (A/N: KICK ASS SONG! Check it out! ) as loud as I could. Now, I go at it on the heavy bag while my song is playing, which means, I'm not paying attention to anything else going on around me. You know how I am around music. As I'm hitting the heavy bag, I don't notice that it's not moving as much as when I started and I'm still oblivious until Thunder tugs on my pants leg to let me know what's going on. I turn off my music and look down at my fur baby.

"What is it?" I ask him as he barked up at the bag. I look up and I see a guy with long curly hair. He looked to be Samoan.

"Hey, what did this bag ever do to you?" He asked me jokingly.

I don't want to let on that I'm having problems with John. I better give him an all-purpose answer.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just working out some personal issues." I say. It's the truth.

"One of those days, huh?" He asked me and I just nodded. "Been there. We haven't met yet. I'm Jimmy Uso." He said. I shook his hand and that's when I heard Thunder make this sound that reminded me of a puppy "HUH?" I turn to see what made him act like that and there was another Jimmy.

"Oh, don't mind Thunder. He's never seen twins before." I chuckle.

"It's cool. He's not the first dog we caught off guard." The double chuckled. "I'm Jey." I shook his hand as well.

"Nice meeting you both. Sorry we haven't sooner."

"Don't sweat it; we know you're busy." Jey smiled. "Speaking of work, you're doing a great job commentating."

"Thanks. It's a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun, too."

Now, as I'm talking to the twins, Thunder walks over and sniffs their pants legs. I guess he wants to know if they smell different despite looking similar.

"Hey, little man." Jey and Jimmy both knelt down and let Thunder sniff and lick their hands.

"We heard you were also teaching John to dance." Jey said to me.

"Yeah, I am. It's on hold due to his elbow, but the second it's healed enough, the lessons are back on."

"Cool; we like the guy, but he needs all the help he can get in that department." Jimmy smirked. "But here's what we wanna know. Is he REALLY as bad as everyone says?"

Why does everyone try to get me to tell them about his progress? I'm not spilling, so give it up.

"Sorry, boys. But I'm not confirming or denying anything." I smirk. "Anything dance related is between me and John."

"Aw, come on. Can't you let us in on a little bit of his progress?"

"No can do. I will say that I have something planned, but that's all you get." I smirk.

"A'ight. We'll leave you to your little secrets. But, hey, if you ever need some dance inspiration, hit us up. We got some moves ourselves. Check this out."

They showed me some of their moves and they weren't kidding. They were really good. So, if I ever need a hand, I can call on these two and R-Truth if I get stuck on move ideas.

"Nice! I just might take you up on that."

"Cool. Well, keep doing your thing at the announce table!"

"I will. Later." I waved bye to the twins and I start to feel a little better. I was going to go back to hitting the bag when A.J. walks up to me.

"Hey, A.J."

"Hey, Gwen and hi, cutie!"

Before I could say anything, A.J. picked up Thunder and nuzzled his nose. Of course, Thunder, being a dude, will never refuse the attention of a lady and playfully licked her nose back.

"I forgot you two haven't met yet." I chuckle. "A.J., this is Thunder. Thunder, A.J."

"He's adorable." A.J. smiled. "No wonder all the divas want to puppy sit for you. Oh, speaking of… I need to talk to you about something… in private."

"O… kay." I say. I'm not sure what she wants to talk about, but if it's that important, I guess I can cut my workout short. "If you want, I can stop my workout now."

"That would be great. Can we meet in your room later?"

"Sure, just name the time."

"How about in an hour?"

"An hour it is. See ya then."

"See ya. Bye, Thunder." Thunder whimpered a bit and I just had to roll my eyes.

"You're gonna see her again in an hour, ya little nut." I chuckle. I go to the locker room to shower and change to go back to the hotel and of course, Thunder is with me. I think this is the ONLY time a male can walk into the women's locker room and NOT be chased out.

-An Hour Later-

I'm waiting on A.J. to show up and I'm just playing on my new tablet; I decided to splurge a bit and it's really cool. Anyway, I'm trying to get the high score on Zuma when I hear a knock at the door.

"Coming." I'm kinda glad for the knock because this stupid frog just will NOT shoot straight! I open the door and there's A.J. "Hey. Come on in."

"Thanks." Before I even close the door, Thunder runs up and barks happily at the smallest Diva in the WWE. "Hi, sweetie!"

"You said you wanted to talk to me about something."

"Oh, yeah; I did." A.J. picked up Thunder and the little furball couldn't be happier about that. "I want to talk to you about John and Eve."

And this is where I wish I was back at the heavy bag. I need something to hit and I do NOT want to end up paying for a new hotel room! Whatever endorphins I gained from my workout are gone now in a split second.

"A.J., with all due respect, I really don't want to talk about that." I sigh as I walk towards the bed.

"I know, but, really, you'll want to hear what I have to say." A.J. replied.

I just plopped down on my bed and that's when my purse fell off, spilling everything onto the floor. And guess what's sticking out of my billfold? Yup. The strip of pictures John and I took at that photo booth in New York. WHY is this thing haunting me? Right now, instead of a cherished memory, it's nothing more than a piece of developed photo paper and I'm about two seconds away from ripping it in two and throwing it in the trash basket when A.J. stops me.

**"DON'T!"** A.J. shouts and holds both of my hands to keep me from carrying out my latest thought. "Gwen, before you do that, I want you to hear me out. Please. I'm asking as a friend."

Okay, this must be important if she's trying to stop me from tearing up these pictures.

"Okay, but this better be good." I say with a heavy sigh.

"Oh, it is." The diminutive Diva pulled out her smartphone and I just looked at her weirdly. "Take a look at that."

She hands me the phone and I watch the footage of John and Eve… ugh! But I look and listen to everything going on.

_"John… was pushing her away. He can't stand Eve, either!"_ I think to myself and I bite back a giggle when he mentioned herpes. But when I see and hear the next bit… yeah, I'm gonna be making another trip to the gym.

"That… triflin' little, fake-ass Miss America actin', no-ass shakin' **HEIFER**!" I shot up to my feet with a look of death in my brown eyes. A.J. had to grab the phone from me because I was unconsciously crushing it in my right hand and if she hadn't, I would have squeezed all the juice outta that Apple iPhone. "I'm gonna go beat that bitch down so hard, she won't look good to nobody!"

I turn on a dime and storm my way towards the door and my hand is just fingertips away from touching the knob because A.J. is pulling on my arm.

**"Whoa, whoa, WHOA!"** A.J. said as she tried to hold me back. I say try because, come on. She's like, what, 95 pounds soaking wet? "Thunder? A little help?"

Thunder rushed over and grabbed A.J.'s pants leg with his teeth and tried to pull BOTH of us back. I turn around to see his antics and… bless his little heart, he tries so hard. I couldn't help but laugh at the scene.

"See? This is why I love the little guy." I smile.

"I see. Speaking of seeing... now that you know the truth, I think you need to talk to John."

"Yeah, I-wait." I look at A.J. "Just how did you know about all this?"

"Getting that footage was an accident. I was in the room they were standing near when Eve kissed John. I had a hunch she was up to something so I pulled out my smartphone and recorded everything. Right place, right time, I guess." A.J. told me. I can relate to the whole "right place, right time" scenario. "I then overheard Rosa and Alicia talking about it and I figured they needed to know the truth so I showed them."

"So, that means Dee knows, too." I shudder. "Oh, shit! Did she threaten to kill someone?"

"She mentioned something about a sawed-off shotgun."

"Oh, my- she still has that damn thing?" I shake my head.

"You mean this isn't the first time…"

"That she threatened to shoot somebody? Nope. And knowing her, it won't be the last." I chuckled.

I see this look of utter fear on A.J.'s face and I can't help but chuckle. Okay, I have to dispel the belief that Dee's always this violent. She isn't. Sometimes, she's asleep.

"She sounds like a really good friend. Scary as Hell, but a good friend." A.J. laughed.

"She's only like that when someone messes with her friends and family." I tell her. "And she is. I dunno where I'd be without her." Actually, I do, but that's another story for another time.

"I can't even imagine. Hey, I have some work to do so, I guess I'll be heading out."

"Okay, but we should hang out more. When I signed my contract with Mr. McMahon and mentioned I wasn't into dresses and skirts, he said that you and I would get along just fine."

"He's right. I like dresses and skirts, but I'm more of a jeans and sneakers kinda girl."

"Me, too. Other girls like makeup and cute shoes; I like Mortal Kombat and comic books."

"**GET OUT!** So do I!" A.J. grinned. "Do you have a character you always play on the game?"

"You know it."

"I bet it's the same as mine."

"I doubt that." There's no way it's the same one. No way!

"We'll say it on 3, okay?" I just nodded and she began to count. "1… 2… 3!"

**"KITANA!"** We both say at the same time and our eyes bug out at the coincidence.

"Okay, this is too freaky!" I gasp.

"But awesome! FINALLY, someone I can talk to about the subtle differences between DC and Marvel! Marvel's better." A.J. points out. "Big ups to Stan Lee."

"CHURCH!" I laugh. Okay, I have a new best friend to add to my buddy list! Of course, Dee's still number 1; always will be; but who says you can't have more than one best friend? "I really appreciate this, A.J. I can't believe, I thought…"

"Hey, it's not your fault. It's Eve's. She's nothing but a two-faced liar. Besides, this can't be the first time this has happened to you, right?"

"Wrong." I say plainly. I tell her about my past and how guys never really looked at me like that. I also tell her that I never had a boyfriend and that my date with John was my first ever. As you can imagine, A.J. couldn't believe it.

"You're kidding, right?"

"I wish I was. I'm a complete noob to the whole relationship thing. What little I do know, I either got from watching other people and out of romance novels."

"So, how do you feel about John?"

I don't really say anything, but my body language does… especially when I look at the photo strip I almost ripped apart.

"Aahh. Say no more." She said with a smile. "Let me give you a little advice about love. There are a lot of things in this world you should be afraid of. Love shouldn't be one of them. If you feel that way about him… you should tell him."

"But what if-"

"'What if' nothing. Just go for it." A.J. urged. "Who knows… he just might feel the same way about you." She smirked.

Wow. I guess everyone DOES see something I don't. Man, I feel so stupid. I almost lost the chance for a great relationship because of… Eve. Oh, she is SO going down for this! But… I have something more important to do and someone more important to talk to. No offense to A.J.

"You're right. Everyone's right." That's when Thunder barked up at me with a look that said, see, mama? I told you so. "Okay, you were right, too, sweetie." I smile. "Okay, I'm gonna talk to John the next time he calls. Or, maybe I should call him for once."

"Now, that sounds like a good idea. I'll give you some privacy."

"Thanks again, A.J." I said with a smile. "I know you didn't have to do this."

"You're right. I wanted to." She smiled back before she looked down at the bundle of fur in her arms. "Now you take good care of mama, okay? Oh, and if you see Eve anywhere… bite her… actually, stay away from her. I wouldn't want you poisoned." Thunder barked in agreement and A.J. put him down on the floor. "Good boy."

"Thanks again, A.J."

"No problem. Oh, and if you ever need a puppy sitter, gimme a call."

"Deal." I smile as she leaves the room. Now, I'm here with Thunder and I see my own smartphone on the floor. I guess I was so worked up, I forgot to clean up the mess I made. Oh, well. I'll do it after I call John. I pick up my phone and with a sigh, I dial his number. "I hope he doesn't hate me." I say to Thunder and to myself. After a couple of rings, I hear.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, John." I say softly.

_"Hey, baby girl."_ He answered and it sound like he was relieved to hear my voice. _"Are you alright? We haven't talked all week. I was so worried about you."_

"I'm fine… now." I admit.

There was a moment of silence where we just listen to each other's breathing and I had no idea how much I missed that.

_"I take it A.J. showed you the truth."_

"Yeah, she did." There were a few seconds of silence between us and I can't take it anymore. "John, I'm so sorry."

_"For what?"_

"For thinking you and Eve were... and that you would…"

_"So, that's why you wouldn't talk to me last week?"_

"Yeah. I'm so stupid."

_"Gwen, no you're not. You acted the way anyone else would in your shoes."_ John said to me. _"You saw someone you cared about kissing someone else and it crushed you."_

"You have no idea. You don't want to know what was going through my head when I saw that."

_"I do want to know."_

"No… you don't. Trust me on this." Right now, my voice is starting to crack a bit and I think John knew what was going on with me because I heard-

_"Baby, don't cry, please."_ John pleaded softly. _"I want you to know I'm not upset at you for thinking that. I also want you to know that I'd never do anything to hurt you. You do believe me, don't you?"_

I grabbed a kleenex off the desk and used it to wipe my eyes.

"Yeah, I do. You've never given me a reason not to." I sniffled.

_"Gwen… there's so much I want to tell you, but I don't want to do it over the phone. I want to tell you in person. Will you wait for me?"_

"Of course, I will." I smile. "I waited this long for you; what's another week?" We both shared a laugh.

_"Hey, a week can be torture when you're away from the one you lo-"._ I heard him stall and I remember what A.J. said before she left. I have to tell him, but I want to really tell him when we see each other in California Monday. So, I'll be subtle.

"I know, John. I feel the same way." I say softly.

_"Wait… you do?"_

"Yeah. I have to go, but I want you to get that elbow in shape. Your one-armed hugs are nice… but I miss both arms around me."

_"Believe me; you just gave me new motivation to get better."_ John said and I can tell he's smiling.

"Nice to know I still inspire you." I smile. "Call me later tonight?"

_"I was hoping you'd ask."_ I heard him say. Again, the voice says it all; he's smiling. _"I'll miss you."_

"I'll miss you, too. Bye."

_"Bye."_ I hang up the phone and I feel better than I had all week. I just hope he'll actually finish that word. Who knew a word so small could mean so much? I've been waiting for someone to tell me those three words all my life… you know, someone who WASN'T related to me. Maybe, it'll finally happen for me.

* * *

-Monday-

**JOHN'S P.O.V.**

Last week was Hell, but on the upside, Doc Andrews says I'm coming along faster than anyone had anticipated. My arm's no longer in a sling, but it's still difficult to move without help. Right now, I've got this black tape that looks like Spider-Man went into medicine. Hey, anything that helps me get full mobility in my arm, I'm all for it. I don't care how goofy it looks. Right now, I'm back in New York City to do Live with Kelly and Michael to talk about my feud with C.M. Punk, Susan G. Komen and, if I know those two, me and Gwen. Now, that Gwen and I are talking again, I feel like embarrassing her… again. ;) I'm standing backstage as I wait for Michael to introduce me.

"Please welcome WWE's biggest superstar-John Cena!"

I walk out to cheers from the audience and when I get to the set, Kelly kisses me on the cheek and I shake hands with Michael Strayhan before sitting down.

"Wow! How's the arm? You had surgery three weeks ago." Kelly asked me.

I tell Kelly and Michael everything they had to do to repair my elbow. It wasn't fun.

"I got a new elbow, but I can't quite move it yet." I answer.

"What's it made out of?" Kelly asked.

"Uh, it's made out of what it was born with. They just tore everything down to the bare bone." And Kelly cringes when I describe the procedure. "And I'm supposed to do all this…" And I move my left arm to show everyone what I'm supposed to be able to do with my right… but I can't. "But right now, I have to have someone like move my arm…" And at this point, a woman in the crowd shouts "I'll do it!" That got a reaction out of all the ladies.

"She said 'I'll be your nurse!'" Michael laughed.

"You're about to get into trouble." I smirk.

"The shy ladies in the audience would volunteer to be your nurse." Kelly informed me.

"I actually could have used you today because I realized that getting dressed was a two-handed affair as I got to my top button and my tie and I realized that I couldn't do it. And somebody was like 'well, we'll have the concierge help you out.'; my mom used to help me get dressed when I was little and I really don't want to upset my mom; I know she watches the show. Mom, I brought my tie." Everyone laughs at that. "But as far as helping me getting dressed, I kinda have someone else in mind for that."

"Oh, so that's why you told the lady she would be in trouble." Michael smirked. "And that brings me to the little situation between you and a certain commentator."

"I had a feeling you'd bring that up." I smirk.

"Yeah, we haven't forgotten you calling in when we had Gwen Turner on the show." Kelly chuckled. "Since we couldn't get a straight answer from her, maybe we could ask you. Is there something going on between you two? Because the way she acted when you called up tells me you're more than just friends."

I just chuckle and look into the camera because I know Gwen's watching, too.

"Well, I will say this; Gwen and I are definitely more than just friends." I admit with a wink to the camera.

"Really? How much more?"

"Now, that's between me and her. Maybe one day, I'll tell all; but not today. Sorry."

"Oh, you're no fun!" Kelly laughs.

Michael then talks about my Tweet pics of my elbow surgery and about my rivalry with C.M. Punk. Kelly wanted me to tell the world what I thought of Punk and I went the civilized route… while Michael took over and went WWE. He's got mic skills; I'll give him that.

"If you ever wanna get in the ring, let me know."

"And that was calm. I was holding back." Michael says to me.

Kelly then hands me a picture of Punk and asks me to draw on it, which I happily do. Come on, name one kid who hasn't drawn a stupid face on someone's picture? I then sign it and Kelly suggests that we auction it off for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Of course, all the proceeds will go to it. I also talk about my youngest brother Sean's battle with cancer. Thankfully he'll be in remission later this year. I tell them about WWE's involvement with Susan G. Komen and how all the proceeds will go to that charity which is awesome. I'm not a pink loving person, but this is for a good cause. After that's over, I decide to call Gwen.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, baby girl."

_"Hi."_ I can tell from her voice that she watched. _"You couldn't resist, could you?"_

"What?" I giggled innocently.

_"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about. That wink?"_

"Oh, that. I had something in my eye." I laugh.

_"Yeah. I don't buy that for one minute."_ She chuckled. _"But, it was still sweet."_

"Glad you liked it. I'll be in California later today. I'm about to head to the airport now."

_"Great. Oh, did you get the email from Mr. McMahon? He wants us in his office when you arrive."_ She tells me. _"I guess there's gonna be a few last minute changes to tonight's RAW."_

"I wonder what they are."

_"No idea. I've learned to expect anything here."_

"Good call. I've been here in the WWE for ten years and I STILL can't really predict what's gonna happen next." It's true. You plan for one thing and, BOOM, something gets switched around. It's like a giant Rubik's Cube. "Anyway, I better get going. I don't want to be late getting back to you."

_"Then, I'll let you go. Can't wait to see you again."_

"Can't wait to hold you again. Bye."

_"Bye."_

I hang up the phone, happier than I've been all week, and I hail a cab to take me to my hotel. It's too bad technology hasn't progressed enough to invent teleportation because the flight to California's gonna be torture. At least I have all my memories of Gwen to keep me occupied until I get there.

-Monday, Sacramento, California-

After I landed and checked into my hotel room, I look at the email Vince sent about the meeting Gwen mentioned. I'm still not sure what's going on; all I know is this week is supposed to be the storyline between me and A.J. I think I should let Gwen know about this so she realizes this is just a storyline. It's too bad I couldn't do this with Gwen. I think it would be kinda fun to see what kind of acting chops she has. Plus, my flirting with her would be organic because it's all real. Maybe I can run it by Vince and see if he's okay about changing. I look at my watch and I have a couple of hours before RAW.

"Most likely, everyone's already at the arena." I say to myself. Before I make the drive there, I get a text from A.J.

_"John, 4 now, pretend that u and Gwen are on the outs. Don't let hoeski think that N E thing's different._

"I can only imagine what's up her sleeve." I chuckle to myself as I answer back.

_Deal. But whatever it is, make it good._

"Okay, now I go to the arena."

Tonight could be the beginning of something big. I can feel it.

-Arco Arena: Two Hours before RAW-

After signing some autographs and snapping a few pictures with some fans, I finally make my way to Creative where Stephanie and the creative team are. I look over and I see Gwen seated in the seat next to the door I walked through. Of course, I'm gonna take the seat next to hers.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself." I smile at her.

"Now, that everyone's here, we can begin."

"Wait… where's everyone else?" I ask.

"Oh, they were already notified that there was going to be a slight change in our new storyline."

"Yeah, now that John mentioned it, where's A.J.? I thought she was in it?"

"Well… that's the change I wanted to talk to you about. You see, the storyline was going to involve a scandal between John and A.J., but we feel it would make more sense and be more believable if it involved John… and you."

Okay, that news threw me for a loop and judging by the look on Gwen's face, it hit her like a ton of bricks, too. Is Stephanie psychic because this was JUST the idea I wanted to pitch to her! Man, someone up there really likes me.

"Whoa! I mean, wow! Um… is A.J. okay with this? I mean, I don't wanna step on anyone's toes."

"Gwen, you don't have to worry. We talked it over with A.J. already and she's perfectly fine with it."

I can imagine Gwen's shock over all this. This is gonna be her first storyline… and with me. If I wasn't psyched before, I am now!

"As far as everyone else involved with it, they'll just adjust. Whatever dialogue we had planned with A.J., they'll incorporate you instead."

"Okay. I'm fine with it if John is."

"Uh, yeah. I'm cool with it."

"Good. Oh, one more thing and this is totally up to you, Gwen." Stephanie began. "Along with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it's also Adopt-a-Shelter Dog month. I heard you talk about how you adopted Thunder on The Chew and I was thinking it would be good if he made an appearance on the show some time during either the first or second hour."

"You just wanna see him on t.v. again." Gwen smirks.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Stephanie fibbed. Gwen might wanna think about this carefully, otherwise she might not walk out of this arena with her dog.

"Sure; I don't see why not." She agreed.

"You have him microchipped, right?" I ask with a smirk.

"Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. I just want to be sure he has GPS tracking if he came up missing or something." I laugh.

"Nobody's going to steal him, John. I have a feeling Gwen would fight anyone who'd be stupid enough to try." The billion dollar princess smirked.

"Damn right." Gwen confirmed. I bet she's just like a mama bear when it comes to the little guy.

"Good, now that we have that out of the way, let's get ready for the show."

Everyone left the meeting room and I pull Gwen into to an empty room before she heads to hair and makeup. I can't take this anymore; I have to hug her. It's been over three weeks. I pull Gwen into me with my left arm and use it to help me pull my right one around her waist. I feel her arms go around my neck and… it feels so right. Man, I missed holding her.

"This is the kind of rehab my arm needed." I whisper in her ear. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too." Gwen whispered back. "I'm sorry for avoiding you…"

"Gwen, it's alright. You don't have to apologize."

"Yes, I do. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that." Gwen told me as she let herself out of our embrace.

"But, why did you? I'm not mad; I'm just curious."

I saw her hug herself with her arms and I'm thinking I should be doing that.

"When I saw… that… I was beyond crushed. I mean, here was the guy I wanted to give my heart to and it gets broken before I even get the chance. That's part of the reason I never had a boyfriend; you know, besides the obvious. Putting all your trust in someone to not break your heart is the scariest thing anyone can do. The whole 'tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all'… it's a load of crap. It's worse."

I see Gwen start to tear up and she has no idea how much it's hurting me. I hate seeing her cry.

"I mean, I know we hang out a lot and act goofy. We even went out on a date once, but… I dunno. I know how I feel about you… I just wish I knew how you felt about me."

How she feels? I have to know.

"How **do** you feel about me?"

"I think I-no, I know I'm falling for you. Hard." Gwen sighed. "No, I take that back. I fell for you a long time ago. I just never believed I'd have a shot with someone like you."

She looked down at the floor my heart was breaking for her. How could she think she never had a chance with me? Doesn't she know how amazing she really is? I lift up her chin so I can look into her eyes. They're sparkling with tears and I just want to kiss every one of them away.

"Gwen, you have just as much of a shot with me as anyone. There's just one difference between you and everyone else."

"What's that?"

"You won." I use my thumb to wipe away the one tear that's traveling down her cheek and I look into her brown eyes again. "Let me give you a tip about love. When someone holds you in their arms like this…" And I hold her like I did after Night of Champions. "And they kiss you like this…" I lean in and lay the hottest kiss on her I ever have. All this pent up emption I've been keeping inside is coming out in that one liplock. After a couple of breathless minutes, I break the kiss and look at Gwen with a huge smile on my face. And, yes, my dimples are out in full force. "And they have a smile that looks like this… it means they feel the same way." We both share a smile and I hand Gwen a damp handkerchief so she can wipe her face. "I mean, come on. I only constantly embarrass the people I love."

Wait. Did I just say what I think I said? I look at Gwen and she has the same amazed look on her face I know I have on mine.

"So… what are you saying exactly?" She asks me softly.

I've been feeling like this for a while and I don't want her to have anymore doubts.

"What I'm saying is… I love you. I know it hasn't been that long, but… I haven't felt this way about anyone. Not even Liz."

Now, those tears are falling down her cheeks, but I think they're from happiness. Good; I don't want her sad anymore.

"John… I love you, too."

"Are you still afraid to trust me with your heart? Because I'm not afraid to trust you with mine."

Gwen shakes her head and looks right at me.

"I'm not afraid anymore."

"Good." We share another kiss before leaving the room. I let Gwen go out first and I'll leave a few minutes later. If anyone comes in, I'll pretend everything's wrong between me and Gwen. Talk about an Oscar-winning performance.

* * *

**GWEN'S P.O.V.**

I'm wiping my face and just as I'm about to get to makeup, Eve walks up. I so want to ram my fist into that nose of hers, but I gotta play this cool. A.J. wants me to let her keep thinking I'm upset over John and these tears, even though they're happy, are just the thing to drive that home.

"Gwen? Oh, my… are you alright?" She asked in that fake air of concern.

"I'll be fine. Show must go on, right?"

"Exactly. You're being such a trooper. Well, have a good night." She walks away and I can't see what expression she has on that caked up face of hers but I know she doesn't mean a damn thing she just said to me. It's all good. She's gonna get what's coming to her soon enough. Right now, I have a date with a makeup chair.

**-MONDAY NIGHT RAW-**

I'm at the announcer's table and I hear John's music play throughout the arena and the mixed reactions are louder than ever.

"We are live in Sacramento, California!" Michael Cole announces.

I see John running to the ring with a little less gusto, for obvious reasons and roll into the ring. I keep my emotions in check. I have to. I can't let on anything's good or bad right now, even thought things are great.

"MAN, I missed you guys! Did you miss me?"

I don't think I need to tell you my answer. John begins his promo and he gets to the part about watching from home and how different it is being a spectator. He makes light of Team Hell No and Antonio Cesaro dumping Aksana. Oh, right; he did dump her. Then he talks about his nipples… okay.

"I ain't touching that with a ten foot pole." I say with a chuckle. Then he goes into the Divas… here we go.

"I also notice that the girls are out of control! Eve hates Layla; Layla hates Eve; Kaitlyn got Nancy Kerriganed; A.J.'s lost her mind… and it seems like the only sane woman around here… is sitting at the announce table." And now John's looking right at me and I shake my head. "I gotta say, it's looking better and better every week. No offense to you, gentlemen."

"None taken."

He's licking his lips and I'm doing my best to not smile too much.

"Gwen, I'm kinda throwing myself out there right now, but… I really like to take you on a date." The crowds oohs and goes nuts. "If you like it, take it and run with it, if not, throw it right back at me. Maybe we can go to In and Out… for a hamburger."

Okay, I never went there but I do know the innuendoes. And apparently the crowd does, too.

"Or a cheeseburger or one of their famed Double Doubles. If you can't talk to me in person, then just Tweet me back. All the kids are doing it now; don't worry about it."

"Not all." I think to myself.

Now John goes into C.M. Punk and how he's gonna be facing him at Hell In A Cell and he knows how to bring the intensity. Kinda hot. Anyway, he ends by saying he hopes we enjoy the show and leaves the ring before the first match starts.

"And we start off Monday Night Raw with a bang… and John Cena asking you out on a date, Gwen." Cole reminds everyone. "Now, you can't sit there and say he's trying to embarrass you."

"Why not? It's worked for me before." I answer back. I'm trying so hard to play it off.

"I knew there was something going on with you two. He asked you out on a date… point blank. He was looking dead at you." J.R. pointed out.

"Yeah, and he blew me a kiss and winked at me… and he was looking dead at me. How is this any different?" I retort with a smirk and I turn to JBL. "Oh, glad to have you back, JBL. More power to you on the mountain climbing. You'll never catch me doing that."

"Thanks and quit trying to change the subject." JBL smirked.

"Worth a shot. But we have matches to call so let's get to it, gentlemen, please?"

"Fine. But don't think you're getting out of this one, Gwen. The night is still young."

"This is gonna be a long night, folks. Bear with me."

-Later-

They go to the promo about Breast Cancer Awareness where they show John's appearance on Like with Kelly and Michael earlier. After that's over, they show Tyson Kid in the ring and the cameras cut back to the table where there's a special guest joining us.

"We see Tyson Kidd gearing up for his match and we're joined by a very special little guest tonight." Jim Ross begins.

"Yes, along with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is also Adopt a Shelter Dog month and Gwen, I see you brought a little friend."

Thunder's on the table and he's wearing the black leather dog collar with a gold "T" as his tag.

"Yeah, this is my little fur baby, Thunder. He's a Yorkie, but sometimes he thinks he's a Rottweiler." The guys laugh. "This isn't his first time on t.v., thought. He made an appearance on The Chew last week where he completely upstaged me. Just kidding. But when you're this cute, you can get away with anything. When I adopted him, it was storming out. He was with his littermates but he was shaking and crying in the corner. I had to adopt the little guy. He was the runt, but to look at him, you'd never know that. It's amazing what a little T.L.C. can do."

"Well, he's looking really good. You're a good mama to him."

"Thanks, guys. And, there are loads of dogs in shelters that can use a loving home. And not just puppies, either. Older dogs, too. And nothing will give you more love than a rescue dog. Isn't that, right, sweetie?" And Thunder licks me and wags his tail. "See?"

"We see; he's a lucky little dog." Cole smiled as he scratched Thunder's ears. "He's gonna hang out with us for a little while as we get to our next match.

They introduce Antonio Cesaro who puts down American fast food. The match goes on and of course, Antonio wins… great. Okay, I kinda see what John was talking about with the nipples. Again… not going there.

-Later-

We're now at the Championship match between Eve and Kaitlyn and the two-toned diva has guts showing up with a taped ankle. That's as good as a bullseye. Layla joins us at ringside and of course, she has Thunder sitting closer to her.

"Hey, little cutie." She smiled as she played with him.

The match goes back and forth but in the end, Eve manages to get an ankle lock on Kaitlyn which forces her to tap out. The bell rings… but Eve doesn't let go. I was about to throw off my earphones and get up there… I know, I can't because I'm a commentator… but thankfully, Layla beats me to it. She slides into the ring and Eve finally lets go. The skank. She was intentionally trying to put Kaitlyn out of action again. As if she wasn't bitchslappable before… ** (A/N: THANK YOU, OrchidI007711 for the use of that term!)**

"That's one way to break the hold… about 30 seconds too late." J.R. replies. "She looks to be showing… concern."

"Yeah, right. She's as phony as a 6 dollar bill. She was intentionally trying to reinjure that ankle." I say.

"What do you mean "intentionally trying"?" JBL asks me.

"Are you blind? Do you need to put on my glasses?" I ask him. "She kept that ankle lock on after the bell rang even after the ref told her to release the hold."

"She's doing whatever it takes to stay champion."

"No, she's doing whatever it takes to not have to face someone like Kaitlyn again because she knows she has what it takes to become champion." I shoot back. "What she's doing is taking the coward's way out. If she was the champion she says she is, she'd let Kaitlyn heal up completely and then have a match for that belt. She doesn't want to win on an even playing field."

"What about you? What if you were in Kaitlyn's shoes going after Eve's title? Would you be a match for her?" JBL asks me.

"With the way I feel about Eve right now, you do NOT want me in the ring with her."

"Hey, I'd pay to see that match up!"

"Me, too!"

"So would I."

"The way things are going in the WWE, it might happen. Who knows?"

-Later-

It's not time for the match between Mr. McMahon and C.M. Punk and by now, Thunder's backstage. This table's gonna get a lot of mileage and I don't want my little baby to get hurt. The match rolls on and, sure enough… TABLE SMASHING TIME! Son kendo sticks are being used and now Mr. McMahon is laid out in the middle of the floor thanks to a low blow by Punk. He's about to put the GTS on the boss when Ryback comes down the ramp to the rescue. He chases Punk out of the ring and Punk is about to slink out when John grabs him from behind and throws him back into the ring with his good arm. Ryback NAILS punk with a clothesline that nearly took his head off.

"This place has come unglued in Sacramento!" I shout.

Ryback is poised to land the Shell Sock, but of course, Punk weasels his way out and turns tail with the belt in his hand. He runs past us, into the crowd and up the bleachers. And this is where Mr. McMahon tells Punk that he has a decision to make.

"At Hell In A Cell, you either face Ryback… or you face John Cena! Your decision, Punk. You make up your mind. And if you don't make up your mind by next week, I'LL MAKE IT UP FOR YOU!"

The big boss' music hits and we're all making comments about the choice Punk has to make.

"Tick Tock, Punk. Time's running out and neither choice looks good to you. I don't envy you at all."

With that, another RAW ends and it's one that's gonna have people talking for different reasons. Punk's decision, The Divas title race, and of course, the thing with me and John. I can't wait to see where this story line's gonna lead. All I know is if it's anything like what happened, tonight, I'm gonna like it.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 16**

Well, it finally happened! Those three little words were said and neither person could be happier. But that's not the end of this story. Far from it. This is just the beginning and hopefully the next chapter will be just as interesting. Long… well, I didn't plan for this one to be so long. 25 pages... this is a new record! Anyway… here's hoping you guys liked it. As always, read, **REVIEW** and pass it on! Till next time. Love, Peace and hair grease! :D


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